Prince of Fire
by Marutectz552
Summary: In war I achieved victory, I was a ruler, I was a conqueror and hero to those who I fought for, what was desired. We were born in a world at war, I was born anew and I awoke to so much changed but so little done. Exiled, chained and enraged. I will wage war because peace is the lie they've come to accept as reason. I am the Prince of Fire, my people lost me once, but I return anew.
1. Prologue

**Star Trek**

**The Prince of Fire**

**Prologue**

"Are you prepared to take my offer?" The man questioned in front of me as I knelt with numerous corpses riddled with bullets. I stared numbly in seeing people who I had protected and who were my literal family despite the hell we lived in. War constantly refused to die down as tears hotly ran freely in which I looked up at a person who'd seemed almost at ease. A man who I'd damn myself to humor weeks ago when he'd appeared.

I held my surrogate sister who died gagging on a bloodied end due to several bullets lodged in her chest. I just turned eight years old, we'd all been pickpockets trying to get pieces of credit for food and maybe we'd get lucky. But today it all came to an end. And it all started with this man who tossed aside a spent assault rifle. His eyes were literally ice yet a impeccable grin visibly formed when I yelled out angrily, "What do you want from me?"

Smoke clogged the entire air obscuring destroyed buildings which were crumbling distantly. Tremors racked the very earth which we'd been born years ago and left as every other orphan who'd been gunned down. We were expendables from invaders who were intent on converting us to some devil they called a god. I couldn't help it but to hate them, I hated them all and I'd never be able to live with this crushing despair. I was all alone for once and I'd been praying to God whose very faithful were being slaughter by foreigners.

"Want?" The man questioned amused to step forward with a cloak and cape flapping from strong winds alone. His eyes gazed to numerous children who'd fought pitifully despite having crude shanks, or anything despite being slaughtered. Inhaling slightly to smell fire, ash and blood did his eyes lock onto my broken legs, "Such an interesting demand instead of giving into your desires of vengeance to right these _terrible _wrongs, boy."

I bared my teeth screaming shrilly in return to make him raise an eyebrow, "Fuck you!" I clutched my dead friend showing those vacant eyes that had wanted to leave! We all wanted to find a place to live and to play safely. I'd ignored it because of the armies invading our cities again, "You brought them here! They were hunting _you!_"

Those accusations alone caused a subtle smile to uplift itself on this man's reply, "Indeed." He looked upwards to see burning buildings once majestic to fires razing floor by floor. Pieces of ember, ash and stone occasionally broke off to fall aimlessly down around us. I felt tears pouring so strongly that I gave in to finally cry and hug another person taken in this hellish earth. I wanted to go with them, I wanted to die and be free of this madness to live. I wanted it all to end!

"War in an age of savagery does not spare the old, sick or young." He commented idly to look down at my broken form. Distant gunfire erupted in which prompted him to walk forward to stand over myself speaking calmly, "And yet in the fires of battle do _men _arise to take hold a mantle to end all violence. A fallacy which brought your nation to the brink of extinction, boy." I stared upward hatefully knowing what he meant due to the fact it was no secret we'd been neutral, or so what was said on the newsreels before this hell came upon us.

"I hate them." I said breathing heavily trying to stem off this cold feeling. I hated the people who were in charge which made us beg for scraps of food, to ignore this city's suffering and everyone who'd been forced to sell each other to feed themselves. Those words caused a man with icy eyes to smile in agreement, "Hate alone is but a mere tool meant for those who are capable to achieve ambition. I have need of such individuals who are fueled by these capabilities."

He knelt down to routinely inspect my friends still warm corpse in order to just gently close her eyes. I couldn't have tried to stop him because I'd seen him break another man, or several into pieces by sheer force alone. My chest hurt so badly I coughed up blood due to numerous abuses I'd been enduring until he arrived minutes ago. We'd have been raped like many others, sold into slavery or worse if I understood what these fuckers wanted of our country. I hated them so much that I'd give anything to make him wish hell were real.

"What do you want from me?" I asked tiredly losing all strength to merely slump forward burying my tear stained face into a corpse's hair. There was no hope in this hell I'd call a life. No hope of a future, nothing could be done and I'd die with a pair of broken legs on some random ass street in the middle of a war zone. What kind of life did I have for a man who'd been breaking other men like rag dolls could ask of me?

There was a brief silence forcing me to look up at this man face to face. I stared right into those eyes of a man who stared intently. _What do you want from me? To fight? _I mentally questioned finding it all so utterly damned pointless I'd end up as another list on a wall. It wasn't going to be worth it, I'd rather die in this street and let the world deal with itself. What else mattered more at this point?

"I have been observing you, boy." He admitted with a cold approval to which I glared angrily, "You possess a quality of leadership among your...peers. But that alone is not what made me invest my time in approaching you today." I bared my teeth again to hiss back, "Then let me die in this place! I kept my friends safe, I never wanted to decide what to do and I never fucking wanted them to follow me into this hell hole!"

He chuckled deeply finding that defiance I so refused to fade away admirable, "And yet their blood is on your hands for all _your _efforts." This man made me wish I had something to cut his throat for daring to think I'd intentionally get them killed. His eyes noticed a hand which fell away to a makeshift knife I kept as a gift from another friend I lost months ago, "Your ancestry lives up despite falling into mediocrity at best, boy. But despite all your efforts that resulted in failure, I see potential which is exactly what I have of need to invest into."

I refused to believe anything of what this man was saying due to one simple fact. I harshly spat back, "You could have stopped them from killing my family." His expression hardly changed yet a smile remained in place, "Perhaps." My heart pounded furiously when I clutched the knife underneath a corpse righteously furious, "But why would I invest my efforts if _you _could not harden yourself to kill another man? Would you have been prepared to take another life to survive, or maybe you're going to try to slit my throat?"

Knuckles slightly popped due to how tight I'd been gripping a crude handle as I remained quiet. At first glance he looked utterly exposed yet I knew better after what I'd just witnessed. No way in hell did I doubt he hadn't noticed. The man's smile widened slightly speaking in a praiseworthy tone, "And now we come to the root of our meeting. Do you desire strength capable of what I did to your would be killers? I can give you this strength."

Immediately I retorted scathingly finding it all too good to be true, "At what cost?" I questioned making him hum approvingly by speaking truthfully, "Everything." I refused to even feel a tingling humor to break more of these bastards apart and if this man could grant me that kind of power over these invaders? _But what does he want from me? No way in hell he's doing this out of the kindness in that heart of his, right?_

He spoke clearly impressed that I hadn't agreed in which an explanation laid it all out. I listened mainly out of reluctance, "You will be better in everything. No _man _on this world will be able to touch you, or rule over you with this opportunity I give to you." He began listing off aspects of what would be better yet I stared hard uncompromisingly to see a smile grow again, "Strength! Intellect, instinct and above all else the will to endure as men do in war, so I will grant you those gifts for you to take up your people's vengeance against those who have wronged you."

His smile radiated superiority much to my inner turmoil in wondering whether it seemed natural, or absolutely true. I again refused to be baited into believing what was in front of me, "What makes you any better? You pretending to be God?" I retorted much to this man's smiling visage who seemingly took it all in stride, "God? Boy, if I were God then no man on Earth would dare to believe to stand against me."

I sneered openly finding his words far too beautiful of a lie spoon fed to us in an orphanage. All the adults promised things would change yet we only received fire, blood and death in return when we believed them years ago. I called out that arrogance in favor of seeking an end, "Then you're no different from those men who'd fuck me, kill me and believe they were above everyone else who only wanted to live. You're nothing without anyone!"

Those icy blue eyes crinkled as an overt grin appeared fully pleased, "Precisely!" I blinked owlishly as a deep laugh of utter agreement granted me shock. He pointed right at my beating heart, "Without a people to fight for a _mere _man is _powerless _in this world of war, boy. Without a kingdom, a nation or anything to bind him to do all he can for those who are his blood then it is utterly inevitable for any man to fall into ruin itself. There is no greater cause but to fight, to die and to create a place for your people to dictate this world's destiny."

Tears went down my cheeks again refreshed due to how sincere and absolutely unwavering this man spoke. There was no deceit to mask this ambition, no lie for an ulterior motive and no wavering as his gaze pierced my very soul itself. _He believes what he says because it's true. My country was weak, I was weak and yet why am I so damned driven to kill them! I want to kill these bastards, I want to see them on their knees and give back what they did to us a thousand times over!_

"What I want is no mere solider to command, tool to mold or see yourself as a meager subordinate, boy." He lifted his hand as if extending it for me to take upon a chance of belief. Now I trembled clutching my friend's corpse defiantly crushing an instinct to take that limb finding too sweet to be true to which his approval kept itself consistent, "You will be something _more _if you allow yourself to shed away this weakness. My people will never be limited, my people and my blood alone will make you stand among the bodies littering this world for us to look down to decide how one shall rule over these crude beings."

I had next to no idea what this insanity of a man was pitching to me. It all sounded so great, so perfect and so damned possible that I laughed. I laughed loudly making him raise an eyebrow as I leaned back unable to cope with how damned fucking surreal everything had become. Reality seemed far too good, far too willing and I couldn't help but damn it all to hell. I looked at him right in the eye to say this so sincerely, "Take your shit to hell and let me know how it is! You're just another man who bleeds red regardless of how _sweet _your motives are to get me to say...yes."

Immediately a pair of eyes narrowed for once in an organic expression of irritation. I smirked in return finally seeing what would be underneath all those sweet little promises that were just asking for someone to shit on! _Come on you bastard, I want you to kill me. End me, so I can die without regret because someone thinks their too smart. _I stared him down unable to quench a hidden desire just to see those hands break one more neck, I'd be certainly spared an agonized existence and I would find my way into someone peaceful.

"Ah, I see." He mused aloud seeing something that must have given my effort away, "You'd rather die then submit to anyone. Clever to provoke an assured end, painful or not." The man looked away as gunfire erupted on a nearby street indicating another potential battle zone. I spoke up hell intent on angering this guarantee of seeing an afterlife, "Better to die by choice then pretend to think you'd care for anyone. Another nameless killer of kids, I hope you love hell because there's no other place _men _like _you _deserve more."

Another flicker of annoyance brought me closer as my lips widened in finding something to dig into his gut. _Do it you son of a bitch, do it! _I chanted over and over again clutching a knife to ease it closer. If words weren't going to do it, I'd make him. I wasn't going to care about living until I found the way to die without cutting my own throat. I'd rather die by another killer than commit suicide to earn a place in hell itself.

"Such misplaced determination to meet your end." He finally spoke up to kneel once more inspecting my half infuriated facial expression. I was well aware he'd snap my neck, "If you wish to die I'd recommend doing so in a manner fit for a...prince." My expression became horrified due to an old fact I was descended from the once monarchy that ruled this country hundreds of years ago. I only knew because apparently my mother, or so had been an offshoot from the very people who we'd read up in history.

That smile returned as an inevitable explanation chilled my blood, "Oh yes, boy." I suddenly lunged forward screaming hell intent on ending myself now and forever! The sharpened point never reached even a foot before fire surged through an arm that got cleanly snapped. Bone literally extended out of my wrist as I howled clutching it over a corpse as crimson leaked onto us both. I screamed so enraged that he found it admirable.

"You have a warrior's spirit, mind and body." I bit down avoiding to scream yet tears fell because of sheer overwhelming pain alone. Wheezing in air I stared him down once again cursing everything to wish someone would end this misery, "But to be a true warrior who is both a king and man requires guidance to attain that title. You have fire inside boy, I am the same and we both are fit to rule over those who deserve our fury. And I offer you that opportunity!"

Hoisting me by a strangled neck I spat out blood at him to which a smile remained frigidly amused. Gunfire crept closer and closer as distant screams of panic, agony and despair all reached a crescendo underneath a bloodied day. I was not a prince, or whatever the flying fuck this man seemed to imagine given nothing amounted to that history. So my ancestors were rulers, or made this country yet they gave it all away over centuries as did many families for whatever means. Money, profits or even forced too by what I knew.

"Are you prepared to walk the path of soldier, warrior and ruler?" That question alone gave me pause because he smiled proudly, "No mere man will stand above our people. We _stand _over _them _because we are better, we are savage, strong and unyielding in a world of war. I am prepared to take everything to be the solution to this world." I looked away gasping for air yet his grip lessened to force me to think once again. Was it a better chance I dared to wonder?

The man brought face to face as I looked right in the windows of a soul. His eyes were so alight with sheer expectation I croaked out, "Why?" Another amused expression provided an answer that struck me cold, "Because those who don't seek to attain power are often the very best in becoming what men fear most. Rulers do what is necessary to secure their throne, to protect their people and more often go to war to never fear another man's ambitions. For I am different because I am better and you will be one my people."

I looked over to see the lifeless body which was but another of thousands. He followed to speak very clearly to make a point, "You will avenge those who were your family. But you cannot stand alone in this world anymore, boy." I looked at him before uttering one sentence to seal my fate and finally think of something truthfully, "Do you promise to make me like you?" I wanted something to finally believe if I had to live, I'd do it differently.

"If you so wish, I shall grant you that opportunity." He instantly said chuckling to hoist me upward at his side. I grimaced trying to support weight on broken bones yet I heard him state confidently, "You're destined for something greater than dying in a street. Our people will bring fire, death and order to this chaos." I struggled to move as we made our way towards a main street were burning vehicles. Bodies littered around them eerily similar to what I'd just witnessed and some of them weren't armed soldiers either.

_I never wanted to fight, to fight in wars but if he's even got a shred of truth to promise me strength...I'll become the monster that make these bastards wish they hadn't created. _I snarled silently baring teeth due to lightning like fire shooting up my legs, I wanted anything to rid myself of hell that was called a home. Home was supposed to be where you felt safe, desired to have and always wanted to be with those you'd called a family. I failed my friends, my family and I hadn't even been alive to know my ancestor's failed horrifically to have our present ravaged by foreign invaders.

The man smiled due to how pleased it sounded at first, "To learn to achieve victory you must taste defeat and lose everything in order to learn a crucial lesson, boy." I kept my voice utterly devoid of anything save for condensed anger, "And what's the point seeing everything you know being ripped away?" I hissed aloud trying to cope with both a physical and mental agony that seemed too much to stand. A subtle grip on my shoulder followed cold chuckling finding my reaction almost bemusing to humor.

What he spoke next would forever ingrain itself into my mind, "Everything! The lesson is when a man has something fight for then nothing will ever be able to stop him. Not matter the cost he'll do everything and anything, for a ruler and man will stop at nothing to achieve for his most important dream...his people." I looked up asking probably the only question that selfish part of myself dared to ask, "Who are you?"

He didn't answer my question at first in favor to pull out some kind of metallic device which emitted a bright strobe. Distantly a screeching came flying overhead where wind and debris started to get kicked up in a frenzy of violent stinging gusts. I watched with widened eyes as a militarily styled like craft armed to it's literal teeth appeared overhead easing downwards. Heat so fierce stung both eyes as I looked away desperate to avoid them being seared. Yet the man didn't even flinch once to only smile cruelly pleased once gunfire suddenly ceased with audible explosions rocking an entire street. I almost fell over in utter shock alone.

This craft took up an entire street length with ease to settle down as individuals walked off a descending ramp. I watched with sheer disbelief to see similarly styled uniforms, cold expressions and utterly deadly people lower their heads to the person holding onto myself. I looked right into this icy blue eyes as his smile predatory prideful, "My name boy is only worth to those who I consider my family, my blood, my enemies and I will have you will learn it today." As we moved towards the ramp where various eyes distastefully gauged my broken form to only escort us to seats where I saw an unfathomable technological wonder, "My name is...Khan."

**End Prologue**

**Author's Note:** Alright, I'm attempting this kind of story because I really found Into Darkness that good because of the actor who played Khan. They utterly nailed it, I mean for all it's fault and I sure as hell ain't a die hard Trek-fan, I enjoy Warhammer 40,000 and Star Wars more in all honesty. But unfortunately I really wanted to do something unique with the movie itself, with Khan and utterly a character whose going to be rather...related to my own imagination.

Thankfully the move itself doesn't go into how, or exactly awoke Khan personally. A blessing and curse yet for all plot holes imagination can do wonders. I don't know how well you readers will take to this yet for all I know, it's a hit or miss. So I welcome you to the Prince of Fire, a tale of when those who rule and love their own will do whatever it takes to secure their future. And I can promise it's not going to be a 'lighthearted' journey for those who think otherwise. Be prepared since I take apart what the very foundations form the Federation, mind you it's just a fictional what-if, so why not?

This will crossover into the movie, 'Into Darkness' I'd say my favorite if I had to choose of these modern interpretations. I still give respect, originality and sheer expanse to First Contact and the Next Generation, Picard over Kirk...yeah I said it. Hate me, or agree because it's too fucking hard to not decide. So I go with what I like more and that's it.


	2. Chapter I

**Star Trek**

**The Prince of Fire**

**Chapter I**

_I snapped another enemy's neck into literally pieces reliving him of a burden, to stain the air I'd come to share. Months of effort to infiltrate an enemy strong hold in a place few thought to be impossibly hidden. I smiled cruelly pleased finding it too damned easy to not accept this challenge. Walking over a stuttering body I stomped down ruthlessly confident in crushing the skull's cranium. I heard it all with utter satisfaction. Such a wonderful feeling of achievement to walk over those whose inferiority never ceased to appease a savage justice. _

_Crunching bones in an ear splintering in a crackling orchestra. Shards of white coloration ejected from brute force alone, I witnessed it splintering akin to a grenade going off! I glanced downward smirking pleased when bloodied prints of boots stained in dark crimson. Stepping aside they marked where I'd traversed. More so I found it kindly accommodating due to it being a signature of this world's most efficient agent, as someone who proved to be honest. I took my purpose with extreme consideration of inspiring loyalty, fear and proving none could stand up to my power.  
_

_Stopping suddenly I leaned back immediately due to a subtle rubber from boots. I ducked underneath a knife wielding insurrectionist trying in vain to cut my throat. Without hesitation I ducked under an arm to knee my attacker straight into his ribs. Cries of utter agony proved I shattered bones far too easily and flipped over him while ramming said knife into an exposed throat. It took a scant few seconds as adrenaline making my senses flare with purpose, a life and power alone was in my hands. I stomped again leering down excitedly to see his eyes gloss over._

_To continue on my journey where a mission's objective had to be met. One I'd complete without issue given how long it'd been. __Years seemingly had blurred to the point where I distantly held that small child in my arms on some desolate street. I never forgot but I had made peace with it partially, if only to consider shouldering that image to never allow another in my place to experience it where I reigned. It was both surreal to become an actual ruler given I still obeyed a higher authority, strength and power of all. To never show weakness to those who'd kill you. _

_Among those who were not of my being I either looked upon with sorrow, or perhaps a twisted sense of objective understanding. Humans were inferior creatures compared to what I'd become yet I never forgot my origins to know I was just like them once. __The planet's populace had been an ever changing tide of death, rebirth and fickle tithes of political turmoil. Despite earning a place to reign as my own kingdom, or nation I found myself going to war far more often with those who'd we had considered to be worthy of guidance. Too many betrayals out of fear from one who was ever so close to reigning supreme. _

_Yet fate itself mocked my very being! Despite being of that same blood, strength and power I was viewed far more in favor due to my humility alone to humor concerns of those that were indeed beneath me. Inferior's known as humans, I took notice and took great pains to adjust them all accordingly. I may have been kinder through actions which is viewed as weakness, a trait I'd been hammered mercilessly to rid myself over these years, but I couldn't ironically feel more humane._

_There came a bitter truth knowing I'd outlive many by potential centuries, all due to the enhancements of being an Ascendant. In theory our bodies were so compact, too pure to age naturally like any human did so. Fiercely aware I felt grateful and absolutely knowing to be unable to deteriorate unless external forces conspired with bullets to pierce brain matter. I'd be able to endure longer no mere man hoped to do naturally, in order to become what I desired most. And I'd achieved that goal to only understand so little, but I knew much more remained._

_While stronger, faster and far more intelligent couldn't be more rewarding. It wasn't enough to achieve an ambition whose grandeur out shined everything on a world stained in this warfare. Once I'd been a child unable to cope to understand it, or believe it! Especially when those who looked down upon shattered me. Mentally I honed myself to become always aware of limits, physically I pushed myself to never stand alone and I studied in arts of spirituality to the point where I had to find my own purpose to my people themselves._

_Rapidly side stepping another attempt on my life, I heard a snarl come from behind! Without hesitation I thrust out an open palm, it bypassed a serrated knife and crushed a man's nasal cavity. It caved in so far inwards, I saw his eyes almost pop out! I spun around to snap a kick into his neck, I smiled widely seeing it's crooked reward. My heel then went straight into his chest and he ceased to have his heart beat. It literally imploded with a fountain of red straining my disguised uniform. _

_I muttered absolutely irritated, "Weakness!" I pushed onward whipping out a sidearm like pistol to shoot exactly three shots penetrating soldier's helmets to have drop lifelessly. __Bypassing a console where alarms were about to be triggered I immediately countered all protocol punching codes and sequences for overrides. I was rewarded when a monotone voice activated module requested authorization, "Provide command for verification, Captain." I smirked knowingly since my rank was at least earned through sheer effort after months of awaiting an order to exterminate these dissidents, "Confirm Captain Alexandrian Singh. Access override of security measures: Foxtrot Eighty Five, Delta Twenty Six."_

_Starring hard I watched flickering red orbs turned to a dull yellow and finally to one bright green causing myself to exhale easily. With my own kingdom earned through blood, sweat and sacrifice I'd been granted. I'd molded into a prosperous land full of purpose, I had a populace loyal and equally feared into submission! I'd done all in my power to give them what I, as a child was denied. Safety from enemies, security to endure living life as we demanded, an enduring prosperity and above all else? The family of people which had scattered my previous origins into mongrels, foreigners who'd raped us into almost utter annihilation. To toy with our ancestral home to have destiny and fate be held in their perverse hands. _

_My vengeance on the invaders of my old home had been notoriously kept recorded as the one who'd granted me power approved without restraint. __Yet those malicious acts were too inhumane, too efficient and made many quake in terror. It was utterly hell raising, to say at least! It'd sent many not of my nation's populations into paranoia, a reasonable outcome but as inferior's they never understood why. They were fearful of another being who made me into I was now, they and I both knew who. _

_He who'd take upon a mantle long since called monster. A man whose entire being overshadowed my own existence. I never regretted doing what I did, I had power and strength to bring a once formidable empire to it's wretched knees. So I slaughtered all who were in power, I slaughtered everyone to the last child and newborn, if it sent that message of retribution. It took years of my life to systematically have them all cry out in agony, giving into despair and I enjoyed seeing them break like weak dogs that they were born to be so! __It was beyond exhilarating to witness them watch a ghost of their past, a ghost whose vengeance reigned supreme and again I never allowed this to influence my own people._

_However despite years of careful management of those to institute law of rigid order, to instill foundations of spiritual morality to keep most in line. But I'd been betrayed out of sheer fear, a blind reason alone! Which lead to my current assignment I'd undertaken personally. There was a nuclear catastrophe in the works, I needed it averted due to my presence alone which was it's main focal point. And I feared only it'd incite many more, if successfully orchestrated. So I never hesitated to do what was necessary, if a prince refused to fight and dirty his hands, I'd say no ruler deserved their rightful claim in that regard. _

_That old nuclear weaponry and old technology alone were relics as they may have been, a true remnant of another past. But it still left an impression of an original goal to annihilate everything it touched. Pure in destruction to do what it was designed to do, more so absolute channeling energy production effectively when handled properly and most importantly? It was utterly easy to initialize for one to create small makeshift war heads which had been activated five minutes previously. I had plenty of time to spare, but I took no chances if I understood what I faced entirely._

_Looking up I heard doors heavily shut hastily which lead to a command center,"Now! Let's put an to end this insurrection!" I harshly whispered grinning by doing an about face to stride confidently into what many considered an ambush absolutely exuberant. Ejecting a magazine calmly, I made sure both safety and trigger performed adequately which was a symbolic sign of our future. In hindsight kinetic weaponry had long been phased out for a revolutionary ejection system of solid plasma, or other such methods to make it compatible with modern weapons. It was a stepping stone without preamble to mince it's purpose, a costly one yet proving to be utter effective in eliminating those who stood against ourselves._

_Turning around a hallway I noticed empty silence which made me frown a bit perturbed. Usually guards, or security teams would have been in place trying to delay my advance. Standard doctrine for internal defenses mainly out of self-preservation to destroy data linking corruption, escape or warn other insurrection cells to know this location had been compromised. So for nothing to greet my senses, when I'd disarmed a nuclear payload hidden in my nation? Warily I eyed every corner which lead up to a bulkhead intended to fortify a last stand._

_Not even security turret systems activated much to my growing unease as they were loosely following me regardless. Lowering my firearm which hummed loudly due to it being a prototype I looked to a red blinking console for this bulwarks lock. Rarely was I ever caught off guard when it came to insurrectionists yet this oddity certainly warranted caution. Moving adjacent to keep a barrel trained forward I slowly entered an override which went through without delay. The moment those doors opened, I angled myself to peer inside trigger at the ready, iron-sights centered properly and I looked inside, but what I saw caused me to blink owlishly._

_Bodies in various states were slumped over computer terminals, or anywhere really. Brass casings were littering an entire floor, I saw numerous spent shells and men's skulls were cut cleanly off. I stared irritably once it became clear someone else had seemingly been taking away my justified retribution! Slowly moving around an entrance I followed every possible angle to sweep for any living enemies. But not a body stirred or seemed to be breathing. They were destroyed long before I'd be able to enact fates I righteously demanded in blood. _

_Scowling angrily I looked towards a central hub linked to numerous servers, screens and a holographic like display of my country's main cities of trade. It seemed my suspicions were right in one regard where consecutive nuclear fallout would have destroyed all my efforts, work and hopes in one sequence of denotation. Too much information proved to me one thing, I'd been betrayed internally in my own country. Too specifically detailed, too cleanly given and it was very clear about exploiting every defensive measure I had in place._

_Although I realized something far too late, I wasn't alone inside this room! Quickly alert I aimed my pistol straight towards a corner where I saw a distinct shadow seemingly fading behind cover. I narrowed my eyes in a look of anger to speak out of a deathly promise, "Another step, I shoot! Come out, so I can take your head off." This individual paused realizing it'd been spotted. Moments passed waning my patience to prematurely end it, I never got that chance._

_Before long ceasing any movement, it stayed still hoping or calculating I'd miss it. At least it thought so, until I gnashed both sets of teeth warning it one last time, "Step out, **now!**" That order followed by myself hearing a chortle of amusement. Now without doubt I only could scarcely imagine what this person of all things was here! On my own soil no less, it had decided to grace my irritation to end it's life with their presence alone. I found myself tempted to shoot regardless of what came next.  
_

_There was a distinct hiss of cynical pleasure that could be heard clearly, "What took you so long Alexandrian? Losing your touch perhaps?" I bit out a retort mockingly, "It seems your shallow aesthetic of physical appearance is rewarded by fools. I can just imagine how you made your way into their midst, to have inferior men believing your smiling face as you give them pleasures...Verlaine." My equal in blood as a fellow Ascendant came leisurely strolling around in a uniform matching those slain brutally around us. Her physical appearance capable of being inferior's to their knees with a smile promising so much, if only not realizing hell lay beneath it. _

_I hadn't lowered my weapon due to being quite content to keep this creature at bay. This notorious sadistic woman and I knew each fairly well, I loathed that fact far too much to be healthy. She and I had no admiration towards each other, or respected less regardless of each other by belief alone. It didn't do justice in where we stood to escalate our feud, I'd been denied but it kept us from doing more drastic measures. Especially underneath the man who'd made us, it was that very law and reason alone I held my desire to pull the damned trigger!  
_

_With an expression of an innocent female seemingly be charming smiled, "Such a pleasure to see you alive, my prince." She greeted myself almost casually, if not for two serrated knives stained dripping with crimson, I'd peg her as friendly. But I didn't even wish to humor this creature's games at all. Therefore I scowled not finding her presence ideally kind, "Oh dear!" She purred chuckling quietly to lazily lean against a shelf full of computer servers active, I found my disgust growing when hair black as coal partially covering near bright amethyst like iris's blinked bashfully. _

_"Is the great prince of our king not so amused by a helping hand to assist in his...kingdom of authority?" __She was literally the last being on earth I'd ever wanted to be near, or let alone in the same room. Our interactions were frigid to say the least, all because I'd rejected her advances. I had no desire to care about her, no willing thought to find her remotely appeasing and I found her absolute personality inferior. It'd be infamous to believe neither of us tolerated one another, or would have been normally content to ignore but circumstances forced us together forcefully.  
_

_God I hated this creature I called an equal at times! Utterly so full of petty loathing against those who threatened her physically, or mentally. Hell I'd almost caused a rift among our people when those witnessed at that time, a near fatal duel I'd won narrowly. But they were prideful to look down upon me to consider it worthless, I'd almost committed our gravest crime of kin-slaying. I viewed it as an undeniable act of humiliation that forced this woman to take drastic steps, to either force me to acknowledge herself, or risk losing face in the eyes of our king. As I learned years ago I wasn't just chosen to a be mere leader of war itself, or a loyal subordinate but something far grander which was too priceless in their eyes._

"_I made it abundantly clear to you back then, recently and now presently!" I growled out less than happy to say those words which caused her gaze to narrow spitefully, "I am not interested in someone who I don't consider worthy, of myself." In those eyes I saw an ever obvious creature that I defined to be utterly worthless. Savage to the extreme whereas it killed for pointless reasoning, for it's sheer gall to imagine that I'd have to be bond to it's existence? It was utterly humiliating of my standing, rightfully disgusting and I fought back to put it back in it's place several times._

_By the current time I'd say it was one of few decisions I openly railed against, an unbelievable act of selfish preservation and I knew many mistook it as rebellion. Fortunately I was allowed leeway, to be left alone and after careful consideration. All mainly due to brutally unrelenting piercing debates of merit, worth and strength to stand up against so many inconsistencies inflicting my nation's borders. In public view it was also to showcase another fact, I'd personally become a determent to my kingdom to thrive without relatively aggravation, I was to my people a foundation for pillars of sheer will to endure against many who'd end us, I embraced it and I never allowed myself to be hindered by Verlaine's own reign._

_Yet the standing order hadn't been uplifted, or cast aside! By word of our king, I loathed to admit it remained an ongoing bond of future commitment. If one thing I loathed above all else, it was to be weighted down by an inferior being whose very territory representing itself. That said Verlaine's territory kept instigating against my work, on my land and blood alone. Our kingdoms were notoriously frigid towards their respective populaces on soil's right, blood history and in ways almost so publicly, it'd been a sign of in-fighting. An inevitable prospect given how dissimilar our methods of governance, ruler ship and personality clashed underneath our king who took it all as invaluable sport for my disgusted inconvenience._

_Whereas my authority designated a strict code of conduct, I was considered under a moniker of: Prince of Fire. A man who waged war victoriously, never knowing defeat itself and never backed down. In my nation I kept tight mandates of unity, to genuinely change and gradually progress to keep ourselves to our ways. Whilst Verlaine dictated savagery of blood to which she ruled as a moniker of: Bloody Verlaine. Her coastal shores along infamous beaches were said in passing to be horrific displays of cleansing genocide. It wasn't even for practical reasoning, or even anything sane save to make an entire ocean turn red with blood of inferior beings to purify the very earth of it's disdainful history. _

_Normally I wouldn't be aware in favor to ignore her acts, but I'd confirmed them via myself personally. Trusted agents and rumors to be aligned with bodies to purify the soil for those stronger to inherit. Utterly pointless in all pragmatic questioning, it was clearly wasteful and I found a personal hatred in her personal habits. It was said she'd personally toyed with those unfortunate enough to rival her natural superiority of looks, in beauty and of body. A so called reminder to those always were inferior regardless of how strong their blood endured. She tortured her own people for vanity's sake alone, a notion many among my own had reached out and taken in refugee's who'd been willing to anything to escape her madness of a reign.  
_

_I had recalled clearly when establishing everything under my rule to endure time itself. The foundations of nation represented, loyalty to family, to find strength of one's self and to reflect internally to justify a conduct of rigid acceptance. We did what needed to be done, we'd never regret it and for our nation itself we'd become necessarily monsters. To know when, where and to choose to fight for our right of self-governed destiny. But when those tenants I crafted personally send out in edicts, I had molded them for weeks and months, so did I notice constant troubling coincidences to occur. Rebellions spring up from locations I'd once ironed out, I always understood a rare case of internal disputes erupting into possibly marches of anger._

_But it was the assassinations of my officials, advisors and sometimes closer confidants. Some within my own court systems, bureaucracy itself had questionable motives of escalating aggression of standing policy towards a fellow Ascendant. Particularly those underneath the reign of Blood Verlaine, I wasn't fooled but I couldn't do much. Especially whenever our king brought upon discussion of a possible...union, I noticed those coincidences starting to simmer down. I knew why, I knew it so clearly and yet I endured to stomp out so many insurrections at her influential reach. _

_I shuddered disgusted in trying to not remember those union based discussions. It took every part of my self-control to not furiously lash out. I did all in my standing as prince, ruler and Ascendant vocally denounce it, rail against it and I held it without regret. I remembered once I gave off an entire rant so vividly in front of many of my fellows, they coldly shunned my presence and utterly ignored this ongoing feud. Their arrogance gave them natural cause to shun my nation's attempts to trade with their own, to share in flourishing stability and to be rewarded with prosperous futures! I believed in my ambitions so much I'd do everything whereas their own were nothing less, than petty war-lords believing to be kings._

_Verlaine's expression shifted into an aloof demeanor just to leisurely point a knife towards her heart. I took great care to watch for movement signalling deception, "Whose more worthy than I to be with you? Our beloved great prince of our king?" She condescendingly stated so arrogantly assured it provoked me to snarl openly! I heard such sweet promises that I almost considered disobeying the standing decree of killing her, "Our king sees wisdom in us together, rightful ambition none daring to achieve and to the grandeur possibilities whereas we align! My nature to yours is and will always be, polar opposites, to become a perfect union of what you'd preach to say is a moderate balance of...force." _

_Now I didn't stop myself when I bared teeth, I was not enjoying to hear how my own philosophies becoming twisted! God alone knew, I'd taken great care to establish a need for both savage acts and strict reasoning together! I knew while being kind, or fair depending on inferior's viewing myself declared weakness of threat. Yet I prepared to be merciless when known to be provoked, I'd done numerous times and it never failed to make those foolish to submit. Yet if push came to shove I'd rather be a hypocrite, more so then be with this loathsome creature that I called a fellow Ascendant._

_Flickering a switch along the pistol's barrel, I had sport one solid red line. It rigidly aimed center mass at a target I'd so be tempted to end. If it only wouldn't brand me as a kin-slayer, "Khan is many things Verlaine, but as a match maker...well, I'd dare say no." She hardly looked faze to leisurely lean back smirking in a pride manner meant to delude those who weren't keen in identifying unseen dangers, "It's very striking that you and him act so similar when irritated, a trait measuring capacity. Sometimes I so endearingly dream to lust for it, to it bring out more often. If only you see the merit in our people uniting together, it'd be a grand step where strength is met with savage truth of nature, power adhering to purity of blood to maintain it, I'd approve and it shows our strengths molding over to form...perfection."_

_I scoffed back clearly not even humoring her manipulative promises, ___"No! The only fundamental difference is that my people know when to utilize both natures, a fact you and your reign of petty ambitious rustics, whose emotional immaturity alone will always fail you to see it!" Those who believed this twisted creature_____ were notoriously due to realize how fatal it'd been to themselves, I'd made it a point guard against those who were inept. I made it clear for her to get it, "_Purity of people is what is necessary to keep it's original foundations secured to keep them in line, familiar to never forget it, to never change drastically to lose what they are to make them great!"__

__I slammed another point right into her belief's so strongly, I always bit my tongue to stop myself from shouting. Now my rage wasn't hidden now, "But always for you and your ways I see insignificant waste of blood, time and effort! Your own subjects are as opposed you in the past, to the present! So what you offer to me is to water down our efforts! All due to your own failures of achieving proper prosperity which you squandered to have instill a wretched reign of your own hands, God alone your madness forced hundreds, to thousands of inferior's flocking to me for protection!" There in lay the one fact _had to point one simple flaw which caused her smile to turn into a nasty sneer, "You are utterly in my eyes an example of being...a failure!"_

_Slowly during my entire critical deconstruction of her failed kingdom, I saw a facial expression turning from irritation to a cold fury. I smiled widely taunting her to try anything, to give an excuse and I'd find a way to do so! It was now, or never to remove an obstacle from my path of my people's destiny. Returning to an original tactic I began taunting her openly. Blood would be repaid in full, I had no hesitation to enact this course because it'd achieve my goals far more simpler. Death came to those who were failures, who were inferior and I had all rights to do a world another favor. _

_In hindsight one war may have been waged to be won, I knew it to be true! But always did battles dictate how long said a war took in it's duration,until one side committed a mistake, an intentionally baited trap to stall them out and that often proved vital to turn momentum. So in that growing sense of cold fury masking an animal only needed a further nudge properly, I trembled expecting to trigger given what I provided smugly, "Your habits of skinning those so called inferior toys of yours prove one thing to me, Bloody Verlaine." Her eyes hardened when saying a title triggering an instinct of a battle looming garnered my blood to surge with heated abandon, "If we're so superior then why?"_

_I asked it again, "Why is that so Bloody Verlaine?" She tensed baring teeth as I went for a proverbial kill, "Why are you so **afraid** of them?" Her eyes widened when those words alone triggered everything which had been prepared. The next thing I knew she sprinting so quickly I shot my weapon immediately! Only to have it deflected but knives angled precisely to skim the round aside in a shower of sparks and screeching metal! Yet grinning savagely please I kept enough fortitude in check to lock down an arm with a knife harmlessly off to the side._

_My sight jolted abruptly due to an elbow smashing literally me sideways! It connected painfully against my jaw which threatened to dislocate! I yelled angrily in return to clasp around a knife's edge viciously squashing pain aside. Ignoring my very blood seeping down sides of a palm, I kept it firmly in place as it strained audibly in protest. All due to strength no human wielder could ever been expected to exert, I had it bending over onto an angle where Verlaine's face looked surprised. I capitalized to hiss out gleefully signaling something far more dangerous got loose, "Highly **ill-advised **woman." _

_Her eyes widened when I let it loose allowing gravity to veer onto her downwards! Naturally dodging I got enough leverage to uplift her smaller weight, I bellowed lividly once I flipped herself over my shoulder! And with what followed was when I slammed her face first into metallic floor grids. Without hesitation I viciously drove an elbow right where ribs met together at an angle! Crackling sounds made that shrilling yelp make my smile turn murderously eager, I violently I rolled over her squirming form to rain down unrestrained fury, all to have her not desperately recover!_

_I never gave her a chance to believe otherwise! She'd never had a chance to overpower my strength, I locked in and I wasn't stopping! Laughing loudly I slammed fist after fist into her damnable face, I crushed bone and caved flesh making her in forgoing reason! There wasn't a knife, firearm or anything creative to hurt me now. Even though I reigned down enough force her gaze hardly seemed panicked, or fearful save for an eagerness which I realized this too late! Her knee slipped in between my legs and sent myself upwards and I fell back humiliated. _

_When her pleased voice met my senses inevitably I roared out lividly as she cried out, "Finally some attention!" I barely had seconds before I saw her seemingly tackling my hunched over form into a computer console! Grunting painfully I managed to stand, if only barely! Metal caved when sparks flew about sending an entire room into flickering darkness and light, I coughed when hands gripped an exposed throat out of sheer chance._

_Glaring hatefully into sadistic twisted eyes whose brightness of wicked desire and joy, "Oh yes!" She cooed aloud while snapping her face to side as bones popped into place naturally, I despised our regenerative conditions at times! She found what needed to be found after all, "That's what I want to see!" If is what it all took to her see an animal end herself, God almighty I'd oblige all too happily! And I began to grip both opposing wrists and squeezing tightly to pry them upwards, while I slowly dragged myself upright. _

_Despite winning in sheer brute force emphasized by her trembling limbs, I found myself going spitefully annoyed. She wasn't worried about my rage, scared of my ability to kill or seemed remotely concerned at all! It was like she'd been testing something, a test I all but held a fascination to uphold! So when I pushed I used every once of strength in sending us in an opposite direction, I saw that look of surprise when I sneered bloodily eager. It only took several moments when my efforts were rewarded with pure satisfaction alone.  
_

_An entire case of metallic servers I smashed us into caved immediately, half a dozen got crushed inwardly! They were sputtering out sparks of hot electric pieces, or outright started burning due to heat being unable to stemmed. More importantly when I pinned Verlaine's arms overhead, I took one look before head butting suddenly into nasal cavity. Cartilage immediately again caved in enough to have a grimace of pain, I did it again and I sharply sent a knee into her gut causing a groan. But legs snaked around my waist crushing me, I ignored that pain since I received an immediate retaliated strike of nails slicing downward! _

_Flesh went free along a cheek and I closed both eyes now enraged! Struggling I bit back down a yelp to only bare teeth lividly, I felt warm literal blood starting to trickle down my face. The very warmth sent waves of fury as adrenaline kick started an instinct to kill an enemy. I know I'd never be able to escape this creature's warped sense of desire, or anything remotely close to stop it. And it was all due to one thing, an order of iron clad adherence to the power behind it because our king had deemed it worthy of opposing strengths._

_Staring eye to eye I saw another grin form, _"_Why do you hide behind weakness you preach when power is at your hands?" She inquired deviously coy though I glared hard right back damning consideration. I knew she was gauging every detail soundly pleased, "You're a prince! Selected to rule, chosen to be grander and yet you squander your very power in favor for them. So tell me why you fight against us, for them!" Her tone demanded answer to which I provided gladly. __With one hand I kept both wrists which were struggling to pull free pinned solidly in place, I'd enjoy what I'd do next! _

_I dropped another to land right at her neck which caused her to wheeze out in shock as I brutally grinned knowingly, "Because they break too easily." __Her eyes widened when I squeezed down both tightly causing to have her rasp out air, I forced everything onto this soft weakness as a hand frantically tried to divert my intentions. I'd kill her, here and now to enjoy it! No one would know, I'd never care because for my people's destiny I vowed to be a monster! A monster who slaughtered anyone daring to usurp what was mine to mold, use and decide upon! _

_So it came to a simple question of how to deal with it? To eliminate my problem without anyone knowing, if any dared to find out I'd could play it off as insurrectionists getting tipped off. Damn the orders I'd been obligated to humor through sheer will, to obey without question and what not! All because this creature deserved to have it's skull caved in without remorse, or pity! No one would miss it, or perhaps that'd be the indicator because it was very well known one of us would kill another...in hindsight. But really it was better her than me, if I had to say it really._

_Nails desperately dug into flesh which pierced due to seeping bright red liquid falling down my collarbone, "You...you wouldn't!" She hissed for once alarmed due to how quickly I escalated the situation to where I'd damn myself, "Yes Verlaine, I certainly would!" I hissed gleefully back enjoying the surge of disbelief, shock and anger as she'd left herself wide open when more crimson started leaking downward, I ignored it seeking that kill I damned well desired. Leaning forward I smiled coldly mirroring another whose very expression sent chills up her spinal cord._

_Almost luckily did fingers latch onto a particular part of the throat to tear it out. A few more inches to get deeper and I only had to jerk to my left hand to do the deed of sweet release, "You are inferior to me." I said in a deathly quiet assurance to have her teeth snarl lividly again, "Because if you're afraid of them?" I referred again to her petty concerns, an inferiority complex because none dared to challenge her at all, "Well...you're terrified of what I can do to you! I am both prince and monster, but I tend to let that monster out when another tries to think it can overcome me."_

_She started gagging violently trying to crushing my ribs, I smiled pleasantly because it was too late for her to overcome me now. Cruelly flaunting how happy I appeared, I only had to say what even another whose similar fashion I molded myself after. Her eyes were wide in utter shock because I questioned coldly pleased, "Now...shall we begin?" For a moment in our mind's eye we understood who exactly I mirrored, a king, a man and one I called more. To be the power who looked down upon us, a will great and to be bestowed by strength to regin above us, I'd do which was necessary to obtain it. _

_There was no doubt I end up branded a kin-slayer because it benefited my nation's future, my power's absolution and my strength over those who were expendable deemed as inferior to our ways. __Just as my arm garnered enough adrenaline to end this wretched creature's life we both froze. We heard quiet steps leisurely appearing from a distant corner where I overlooked. No amount of temptation overrode what I heard next, a chilling yet obviously amused order. One I would never willingly deny to say it didn't put me in my place. _

_Especially when this commanding voice interjected coldly, "Cease and desist, Alexandrian." Both our gazes trailed to our immediate flank where a man stood arms folded smugly bemused. He'd been leaning against the bulwark, an ever silent display of skill and patience alone. Grinding my teeth tightly I knew who'd this was on any day, a man I both admired and despised for various reasons. Yet I remained loyal regardless because without him I'd have been nothing. A bitterly true fact I'd never betray as I relented with great resignation to not act out my goal._

_But still I vowed to make it clear on why I was stopped, "He won't save you next time, failure!" Verlaine snarled silently but wisely kept silent due to how right I'd have been. I relinquished my limbs to have her drop sliding down ungracefully and stepped away looking to retrieve my firearm. It didn't take long before I had it holstered properly underneath my uniforms cape with partially covered a chest, it concealed an entire arm and also dipped over a shoulder. Regardless pridefully I still inclined my head submissively to the man who was both my king, my father and my leader of what made us of blood._

"_Father, it is good to see you alive and well." I stated formally knowing it'd be expected which he remained impassive, "To what do I owe the humbled honour of you gracing my nation?" Khan's expression remained impressively stoic even after witnessing murder between us, so with a smirk in place to disperse our pleasantry dismissively, "Apparently to keep my standing decree in check, boy." I wasn't going to pretend he hadn't overheard everything previously, "As one stands does another refuse to bend in face of what is illogically ill-advised, Khan."_

_The man calmly walked over to inspect a terminal to idly access information I'd known which verified my suspicions. He frowned briefly surprising us both, "They've already begun." I inquired slightly unsure based on insurrections I'd leveled personally, "This latest movement isn't entirely unique to my understanding. What's wrong?" His icy blue eyes hardly changed since that moment we met years ago as he snarled briefly._

"_Rebellion of the masses on a global scale, boy." I went rigid knowing we'd just barely secured territories vast enough for separate districts of ruler-ship, but it caused this war torn world to have a common cause after decades? We were their rallying call to unite, "One systematically orchestrated by those who we'd deemed to be over viewers, governors and ultimately...trust. And **you **are their first target of out of all of us, son."_

_Verlaine got up after moments of recovery to rasp out irritated, "Weakness draws conflict." I glared disgusted to retort sharply back, "And madness instills desperation." Khan hardly looked amused to cut us both off swiftly forcing us to listen, "Pride blinds you both to the fickle nature of these inferior creatures who views us as we are. It is their incapable capacity to have foresight to know what's good for them, but you Alexandrian have made them panic not because of your ability to wage war, to secure and emerge rightfully victorious."_

_I stood at attention gauging exactly what was being said much to a cold condescending smirk gracing Khan's face. I felt shivers running up my arms because it was clear why they were targeting me first. I was unique, similar but different yet my efficiency was too great to ignore. If prosperity flourished, if good strict and just enforced conducts were adhered, it lead to a future none on this planet dared to fear because it'd make them obsolete. To turn the tide of an unending era of wars into something coherent was far too dangerous to ignore, an end to all and a beginning to those strong enough to uphold the mantle of themselves._

"_They fear us naturally." Khan stated proudly but ultimately turned sardonically bitter, "But they are **horrified **at what you've become, Alexandrian. The 'Prince of Fire' whose reign is equally matched of brutality, equal of those they've stood clear to avoid and yet you're weakness is what draws many of these inferior to seek out your ruler-ship because of that ambition to make your nation strong, an irony in which many have seen...effective." Both a compliment and disappoint that results spoke for whenever I delegated to walk among those who were my subjects, my people and my blood was I met with loyalty of pride, safety and dare I imagine...love._

_However I scoffed making it clear I'd crush anyone daring to invoke old pasts in which I saw my home raped into oblivion. I wasn't frightened but thrilled, "Then I'll do what I do best, Khan." He shook his head laughing quietly finding my resolve far too bitter and amusing, "No, boy. They fear you more than us because of your ways, a threat to all without prompting. Granted you are creative to instill loyalty that is paramount to our secure domains, it is your greatest folly to see you are too much of a threat to those who cannot accept change."_

_Verlaine walked over to stare at me rubbing her throat revealing this exact reason, "Your nature to go from animal to man, from just to cruelty and rule absolutely adored is what they fear...as our king is telling you, prince." I sneered finding it all too amusing, "Then it means we are superior to enact our will. I am better and I have no reason to fear those who are too inept to see what I've built up. If am I be a ruler, I will do what I must to secure my people's future, blood and will not hesitate to enact war upon those seeking their petty jealousy."_

_Khan hardly moved but pointed out one fundamental that damned my core belief, "Ah, I see! But they do not think like you do, Alexandrian." His smile frigid to literate the point I'd been striving to overcome which could be influenced in time alone, "Your ambition is far too grand, far too kind and far too dangerous for those squabbling for power to allow to exist. Inferior they may be, but they know when a threat to them all is arising. So it leaves us to one decision where we must endure, to see and observe when your foundations test themselves to perhaps grant us a clarity to return among them...when we must."_

_I stared unbelievably to know what he must meant for us to endure and survive as a people. Exile voluntarily, or be branded as criminals for future generations to damn us all into hellish obscurity. I felt beyond insulted, outraged and vindicated to stand my ground until I died. But the man who I called king, father and leader merely revealed a holographic like display to have the words appear in bold yellow. I could mummer when seeing the outline of a star-ship with the words above it leading to our possibly salvation, exile and future, "The Botany Bay."_

* * *

The office I found myself currently typing away into weapon schematics proved to ideally distracting. As memories occasionally came back when I'd been able to recall them. Ever since being discovered and reawakened by a man in this future was insulting, to the say the least. Being constantly monitored for any signs of deception, or willingness to flee to escape a cage proved to be irritating. My intellect being subverted by some petty Admiral whose glorification of war was revolting to the damned core of what I stood as a man. But I found myself awakened out of cyro-sleep by the man I knew to be my people's hope proved to be enlightening.

Khan somehow had managed to pull off a deception that one tube encased in ice was malfunctioning. The admiral of this so called 'star-fleet' was both equally alarmed and hungry for progress, had been smoothly reassured I'd been one of the brightest developers of weaponry in my time. Both true and false in the sense I had resources to promote concepts those who'd naturally enjoy to discover under my guidance. It was a risky, if not reckless move that I'd gone to extreme lengths to passively inquire to the admiral who held us hostage about what enemy Earth faced. He was all too happily pleased to see someone who took this threat seriously, I humored his glorification of conflict and I got knowledge in return.

Alien life existed outside of our solar system. An age old possibility of a paradox we'd considered, but never pursued since I never found it viable until reaching said locations. But to get a stellar shock to see how _numerous _lifeforms walked on earth's very soil! The soil stained in our blood to be trampled upon was utterly repulsive due to the amount of sacrifice those in the past display, so to allow their ways to infect my people's ancestral home? Internally though I saw merit at the expense of this pacifist reign, of science and of social belief couldn't stem natural instincts, war itself was inevitable if those bonded themselves to reason alone since they couldn't defend themselves when blinded by a lie.

So reluctantly I threw myself into development in various sectors I'd been assigned, under an alias known to be as Roderick Harrison. Khan found my selection of an alias approvingly given how prideful I kept my namesake close to what I loved most. Yet it was bitter knowing all my efforts centuries ago were either destroyed, forgotten or even sparsely twisted into what I'd seen of this civilization presently. The Federation itself was an oxymoron of collective interests under a unifying force in the name of science, exploration and harmonious progress. It inevitably seemed ironic considering they couldn't shake this weak nature of resolving themselves to one fact, a natural fact defying manufactured reason.

Not all beings were ideally the same to think universally, especially ones proclaiming civil discourse. Some were warlike which I understood meriting that strength respect strength to secure a future, others which I took a curious interest in where spiritually inclined met practical parameters of guidance. Similarly I knew I'd created foundations to inherit for my people as a moral compact, a balance of war and life, I found it shrewdly ironic I was condemned for only other races to embrace those ambitious wills I'd branded to be monstrous. Overall humanity was but a shell to instill pride, power and knowing how to wage war which was a humane concept I'd humored to keep myself in good graces. The man who was my warden ideally liked to discuss potential tactics which I remembered effortlessly due to historical records that created a foundation.

So much had changed yet very little progressed which infuriated myself immensely! Still I had my orders from Khan personally when we'd been allowed time to accommodate ourselves, a rarity I took to heart and always found it purposeful to never forget. _This man pretends to hold us hostage, our people will not be bound to this inferior being and I trust you to do what you do best, son. Subvert, observe and if necessary...kill this man's family to make him regret thinking he can exploit our nature when we were condemned to exile._

Now here I sat presently gauging numerous scientists researching into disease which were admirably a challenge on my part to point out, breakthroughs of far more efficient energy and such. It was fickle of them to believe they were curing seemingly undeniable disease yet for all their knowledge? Not one of them approve of live subject testing to verify, to understand and if willing give their lives for goals that required lines to be crossed for absolute certification. In theory it never applied to humane will, or mutations which often created more hazardous results as I'd bring to point out mildly. Yet none were willing to even imagine being unethical to take logical steps of understanding how these strains kept on evolving, so it never ceased to amuse me when hearing of how new cases frequently slipped past their so called 'enlightened' technology.

Someone annoyed called out to me from nearby, "Roderick!" I subtly closed weapon schematics on a computer's screen while encrypting them to send to Khan as a means to provide support as I'd always done, "Here to try to guilt me about my propositions again, Carol?" The Federation's science logo appeared on screen as I lazily turned to stare bored at a woman whose expression bordered on offended. This was my target to observe, manipulate and eventually kill which I'd didn't dare lie to imagine would be rewarding in it's own rightful way.

Admiral Marcus's daughter whose sole relative existence spurred said man to damn myself, my father and seventy one others to be prisoners. To most an she'd have been considered attractive on an aesthetic appearance alone, but to myself an inferior! Another reminder of how fragile these beings had become entirely, "Human testing on unsuspecting subjects as a means of 'organic control' is beyond apprehensive! We study, not infect those who need our help to be cured and not create mass panic!" Her expression was angry because of how unethical it sounded yet I once again prompted a droll response.

I dumbly recalled one meeting where I'd been shunned alone, "Didn't you reject a far more kinder proposal to call out on grounds of immoral standing on willing patients who were about to die anyway be exposed to experimental treatment?" She grown out her hair to where it reached shoulders which I idly found appealing except I was one for more exquisite avenues of style, a purpose to flaunt mainly. But I did respect her ability to stand her ground on moral debates, I considered it a challenge mainly and I also knew when to enact damning points in said debates, so it was a mild irritation I tolerated mainly out of humor. There wasn't much to humor in this place to be honest.

"We _don't _take lives, Harrison." She reminded me sternly to which I shot back, "And you promote progress underneath the fallacious lie! Of lives being taken for the greater good of people who _aren't _in danger to safe guard them." I smiled condescendingly making her flush in embarrassment because I was notorious for deconstructing the Federation's policies, so damned well it'd been an insult to firing myself in order being proven right, "I wonder if we'd done so? A few children whose crippling _conditions _wouldn't be _prolonged _to suffer when their parents are watching hopelessly powerless, to wonder why radical treatments aren't offered just to see their future dying in from of them...little girl."

Her youthful age always implied that a particular admiral's daughter got in through connections. I never let it down to get back in little ways, "You're an asshole!" I smoothly retorted smiling coldly to point out, "And you're a insecure girl whose father is watching over you." It was very common knowledge that those working alongside us knew of this legendary feud. More often, or not these fickle beings found it oddly surreal to find it entertaining yet still never passed to insult us in some fashion.

In fact I heard one person shout out laughing hysterically, "Get a room and sort out your problems! We'll get the reception ready!" Several other ignorant inferior beings chortled, or chuckled in agreement finding our daily interaction a means to distract them from important work. At first I found it so repulsive I almost came close to snapping several necks, I didn't need this humoring rumor! All because it was beyond disgusting to humor it entirely, I found it unenviable to think like they'd seen everything.

Carol glared spitefully to retort hotly at said people laughing, "Fuck yourself and tell me how it is!" I sourly had to agree finding that image less savory, "For once I agree with you! How I knew the day would come, I feared." Her gaze burned with an deniable urge to smack me, or outright want to throw a clipboard to satisfy petty anger. I dared her to look less than smug, "Try it girl. You'll get schooled so fast your father would be ashamed."

The young woman's blond hair partially obscured a smooth face while exhaling slowly. But words eventually got grounded out, "God how I wonder you passed our academy as an asshole! You're an utter dick!" I raised an eyebrow smoothly to reply ever so assured, "And he punishes me by seeing you everyday to remind me of how much I loathe it. As they say God is what made me, so I do what I can to make your life hell in return."

She bit down screaming in frustration to storm away resisting another average occurrence to curse me into oblivion. Oddly I found it humorous because I wouldn't be going away anytime soon, if her father hadn't kept me here for progressive purposes. Admiral Marcus for all extensive purposes was easily fooled as long as I did nothing but assist sectors in their technology. He kept shadows on me of course yet I managed to overtly side step them, if I'd needed too. My objective was within arms reach at all times and I'd do my best to be there unwillingly for Khan's plans to get us all out of this insane world of pacifists.

"Hey Harrison! Got a question!" I looked up to see an average looking man leering suspiciously trying to look secretive, "How come you don't ask her number and _school _her right?" Once those words slipped past his insufferable mouth I smiled coldly to have him freeze in place as I stood up simply to place a hand on his shoulder. I allowed thumb to press down enough to where he coughed in shock, "Highly ill-advised to say."

I could have pierced such a soft and weak neck to pierce that spinal cord connecting to that insufferable inferior brain. But I managed to smoothly smile finding his terror a little satisfying, "Unlike most I have a reason for loathing Carol Marcus, a reason you and those _inept _concepts in your brain wouldn't be able to fathom. So to answer you would require God, who'd be more likely to come of his throne and set you people straight! Highly unlikely, right?" I removed my limb to swiftly move away to shadow the target to forever remind her I'd never been too far off aside.

Bypassing cubicles where various snickering, or coughs masking laughter did little to stem my contempt for these inferior creatures. Let them stew in ignorance at their discretion, I had goals and ambitions to not humor their intentions. Walking towards a known area I paused when voices were leaking out of a partially exposed doorway. Smirking I just kept myself in reach to overhead everything to perfect clarity, a gift I'd exploit due to being better than these inferiors who kept thinking so simply it was honestly sorrowful.

"I fucking hate Harrison! I just want shove a phaser down his throat and pull the damned trigger!" Carol's voice vividly stated to a colleague who seemingly shrugged, "Man's an asshole, but he's damned good at what he advocates to a point where I agree with him on a lot, Carol. Even _you _can't disregard his brilliance on practical testing and pragmatism, a little less remorseful ethically. Still I haven't been amazed, he hasn't been promoted to Chief Administrator to oversee his proposals alone which are...well, god damned too brilliant!"

The woman sighed loudly not even humoring what I'd stated previous on multiple occasions. She still grumbled petulantly, "Still an asshole, Elena." Another soft laugh of amusement greeted my ears which threatened to bleed, "Reminds me of my husband and I many years ago. Hated each other on sight, bickered over policy and methods, I even slapped him when he suggested I'd take my own proposal and use it for something good for once." This older woman had some serious misconceptions on so many levels of ignorance I almost rolled both eyes.

Carol literally said something blandly I actually happened to agree with genuinely, "I'd rather piss glass and take a vacation to Kronos." Her colleague chuckled kindly finding an expression naturally bemusing at best, "Roderick is a brilliant man, I can't deny it or you. But he's cold Carol because men like him have to be understood long before you can judge, I know this because he reminds me of myself when I refused to care about what matters to make any woman intrigued. I do recall he's turned away everyone with utter callousness."

My target snorted in a huff of disgust and reluctance to know it as factual truth. But what came next intrigued me internally because of how _well _and _suitable _it'd be successful once an order came back to kill her. The colleague whose marriage which I approved in a sense of purposeful union and actually impressed they'd been together an entirety did give me an angle to humor, "Everyone but _you _I noticed. Whether you admit it, or not whenever you two enter the same conference room we _all _expect a fierce, passionate and enlightened debate to make us all reconsider our methods, to question our oaths and really to inspire us to compromise which guarantees progress!"

I looked away smugly already knowing I'd won that battle because it was indeed true. _How can you say what you know is right when you can't see flaws in it? Come now Carol, prove me wrong and get closer so I can snap your damned neck to make your father regret awakening us...to use us, to think we're weapons and believe he's superior over to endanger your wretched life. _I smiled coldly appeased now, ever since this person in their sheer ignorance of obnoxious magnitude talked a target to do my objective soundly, if anything I wouldn't have to lift a finger to do much effort.

"Are you seriously talking to get me hitched to a cold bastard who takes pleasure in insulting me?" She proclaimed stunned to which Elena laughed again finding it hilarious, "No, but even you can't deny his looks are first to none." Perhaps I'd reconsider placing explosive denotations underneath this woman's desk in favor of being bold to proclaim what was fact. I had to say despite how petty their thoughts were going, I'd say it was favorable to amount them to leniency. Overall these two's unwilling ignorance could prove to assist me in my ultimate objective, plans and goals! Smiling to remain perfectly still I managed keep up my usual routine of espionage.

Carol Marcus exhaled again tiredly, "Just because he actually _insults _me, a lot." She started slowly trying to piece together fallacious logic of social standards which I understood to be ironically pathetic, "Elena listen, I uh...I like on good days the dedication and passion he can throw into projects. God, I'm envious how capable he does it but he's got no...soul, to me really!" That was as furthermost from truth I'd ever admit, I did care about what I fought for alone! I understood faith alone carried me in my childhood into hell, in war I found solace to know I discovered a soul's worth of men to be feasibly critical to keep my people strong.

"Sweet heart men are different from us women, they're stranger to us as we are to them." She stated absolutely sure to which I again agreed mainly out of sheer exasperation, "Roderick Harrison is an asshole, I'd agree. But he needs someone like you, as you need him to really benefit others because you get along so well...I'd wager." I shook my head in absolutely exhaustion finding this all too surreal yet the logical conclusion was that if we got long better progress could be exceptional. Unfortunate I'd say for all wrong reasons aside.

"My friend warned me of men because of that guy whose a captain of a star-ship." She muttered tiredly knowing it wasn't unnatural for inferiority to be attracted to superiority. A natural fact I'd play upon but if only it benefited me as well, "Carol in my time of life and such, I say men like Roderick are a star going nova among dead systems. He's what men should be in this time of uncertainty, confident, strong and never willing to back down from anything he deems to be fighting for when costs of lives are on the line. We both know why."

_And there's the root of this civilization's inability to cope with war itself. _The Klingon Empire which was incredibly adept at waging war, doing things by force and intuiting an effective cultural significant few dared to openly challenge. I viewed it akin to the Eugenic Wars of when I walked alive and unafraid, I enjoyed it to measure myself to make any enemy quiver in their homes. Flawed yet overly dedicated, I found this challenge too tempting to ignore, if I had my way I'd be preparing an entire overhaul of policy to showcase power projection! The points were simply instigation and confidence! Warriors understood threats, they treated warriors equally in both admiration, or fear of skill and if pacifists tried to reason alone, I smirked since knowing it displayed weakness to be exploited terribly so.

If humans didn't always think similarly what chance did entire alien races not be expected to go by that mantle of logic? The Federation as it stood in my eyes was both weak of action and more accustomed to peace which forced prosperity. It had been implemented on a populace exhausted by insane cycles of warfare being repeated on imagining peace itself. Centuries of reinforced belief trying to overcome supposed flaws that were critical to sovereignty, key to peace itself was cultural incubation of actions versus reason and objectivly true to uphold. But all of that had been outlawed for moral subjectivity? Madness, if I had to say which would damn billions out of sheer ignorance of fallacious lies.

"Elena, I know he's attractive, I mean no hot blooded woman thinks otherwise in this sector." Carol stated tiredly as I took that fact in stride rather well, "But he's just so cold. Too cold that I think he'd find it insulting." Confidence in character wasn't exactly suitable for my methods yet I'd be able to humor this suggestion by simply intervening. Glancing down I uploaded a particular earnest request months ago Carol approached me seeking aid when we first met, I'd rebuffed it in favor to observe from a distance and later I viewed said information, I'd been pleasantly shocked it came down to an interesting theory of thermal torpedoes.

_Those who play with fire are burned, but those who set it are the real dangers. _I thought deviously amused to walk to announce myself walking by to casually just glance to see Carol and her colleague sitting. Less than amused I politely knocked while barely seeming interested to speak blandly, "You left something some time ago. As always you seem to inconvenience me, especially at times I'd rather not put thought into Carol." Glancing over I sounded less than amused to see an elder colleague who smiled kindly as though nothing were upsetting said.

Nimbly flipping a holographic display of numerical values made the creator deflate irritably. I smiled coldly finding a genuine amusement in playing a facade I'd nurture, "If it were anyone _less _than myself?" I smugly stated rather happily to have her expression sour, "They'd have killed themselves trying to deactivate your theoretical torpedo...several times over. Imagine how guilty you'd have to feel preserving life only to have it _vanish _into dust."

Elena peered forward to notice seemingly nothing at all but enough she admitted much, "The process seems sound Mister Roderick, but I'm not a weapons specialist so could you explain?" I smirked to ooze off superiority to do so without preamble to point out an obvious problem, "Carol's equations on theory are impressive in hindsight yet for all such brilliance, I myself never gloss over even what we've deemed to be foundations of intellect to remain true to...fundamentals." Casually sweeping down to where original numerical values and possibly theory met I only had to adjust to magnify a slightly sense of value itself.

"You fail to see what really binds brilliance together, if even a slight mistake is made it's inferiority shows in later stages." Tapping several points to edit them I unveiled the beneficent manner to make Carol go wide eyed to take it excitedly, "My god! No wonder the trigger sequence would trigger prematurely...if it couldn't shut down I'd have to do, well I wouldn't want to imagine!" I stood again rather amused to nod my head considerably to the elder woman who smiled gently, "If only young men were as smart as you and not as cold, I'd feel safer for our future."

I turned around to merely comment shrewdly, "Then you'd have no future to speak if men like me never existed." She laughed quietly finding my prideful exterior all too familiar, "Spoken like a man whose ego can always be humbled Mister Harrison." My smirk couldn't be resisted as I walked away quietly bemused in finding some solace in truth. Although before I exited I paused when Carol nervously spoke up as an internal devious success reigned itself. _Too easy for no work, too easily fooled and so easily misguided without thinking of why._

"Roderick!" She had a warm smile in place craftily utilizing an event which in theory would make most men intrigued yet in practice I coldly inquired, "Do I have to correct more of _your_ work?" That smile almost crumbled into a souring annoyance but I motioned to have her speak, "Are...you by chance doing anything today after work?" My gaze settled on staring simply before I lifted an eyebrow impassively, "I'm always doing work after work Carol."

Expecting her to be deterred I was severely mistaken when determination rang through common resentment. _Oh God! This is far too easy I can't even enjoy the effort. _She clarified a bit nervously, "Then can I assist you, if it's okay?" Looking upwards I seemed to be pondering even though I was internally laughing I replied rather smugly, "If you wish to be enlightened, I'll perhaps _humor _your request since it's odd of you to ask."

That smile strained again but it held up rather crudely in my opinion, "Five sound okay?" I shrugged indifferently, "Whenever you see fit." I walked away to hear only a myriad of cussing that seemed quaint but still humorous. Out of sight I grinned devilishly pleased to know this would assist myself, Khan and our people from being held hostage. I could just imagine how paranoid the admiral would get constantly shifting attention off Khan onto myself, I'd be able to make him cringe and ultimately panic if things ever got so...misconceived.

_Play your games to think you have us cornered, Admiral Marcus. But even in games do the players maneuver to trap their opponent into their own corners. _I had so much to gain by pretending this would be a mutual curiosity since I'd never attempted such flagrant actions. But I wasn't going to be immune if it bought myself, Khan and my people more time to be free of this cage? I only whispered quietly savoring a time when I'd enact blood being repaid in full, "Let's find out whose going to be the real so called monster admiral."

**End Chapter I **

**Author's Note: **More often that not, I often write stories on whims or without considerably thought because I think too much. So I tend to really make a point with what limited time I have to make things more than they appear. In this case the matter of perspective, in short you can view this as a comedic attempt of satire illustrating what you see in any work place. If you're the one outside those affected, it's a common misconception I tend to exploit because when you're the third party over-viewing this (as a reader) you're going to realize how horrific things can be. Or rather, it's the implied that makes people either really love for situations to develop whether you're aware of what people perceive to your own views. In this case let's take some minor characters, give the time frame of movie interlude and really showcase what the well is going to happen.**  
**

Roderick Harrison's name's sake is ideally mirroring his past identity of being Alexandrian (ironically that's the clue), but this isn't just a simple what it appears too be. I don't need to write about Khan, or Kirk, Spock...etc because everyone's already done that so much it just comes off as bland. But through in some what-if's, a bit originality and imagination with interesting dialogue then you get the story of plot, character, action whenever inserted to the movie's events where things will be different in that sense. It's not hard, to be honest but requires some idle time and a bit of humor to really criticize what you've viewed without coming off as an arrogant head because I do view things differently. Hence the title and explanations.

So leave a review, make me feel inspired if you can.


	3. Chapter II

**Star Trek**

**The Prince of Fire**

**Chapter II**

I'd expected my latest actions would have drawn concerns from my warden which was verified. I only listened to hear an apology, "Roderick! I'm sorry about taking a bit, I had a call from my father." Observing Carol who'd stated apologetically much to my inner amusement as I stood contently by a vehicle of sleek design. _Yes, I'm sure your father approves going on a casual night out with a colleague whose an Ascendant being forced to develop weaponry, a rather innocent coincidence. I can just imagine how he feels!_

More or less pleased I simply replied rather indifferently, "One can imagine your frustrations." She gave another apologetic smile to which I merely stepped aside to open an door, "After all a father concerned over their daughter's personal life is rather...understandable." I smirked making her ignore a jibe which was rightfully natural. Although I had to feel rather smug knowingly since shadows were in place trailing behind myself exactly two blocks, recording everything to report back to the admiral. All going according to my designs which proved too susceptible, admiral Marcus's concerns were leaning to say he'd taken care to watch over personal affairs of blood.

Despite it being what most would assume to be a formality of courtship based on older mannerisms, I kept myself adequately dressed. The planet's society in attire had been streamlined into a flavorless style, still I scowled at it's lack of purposeful meaning. So with freshly tailored pants on simple casual polished black shoes which gleamed appropriately, I had an overcoat masking a dark crimson undershirt. It carefully portrayed an upper style of life few had understanding, or meaning yet I stuck to old traditions due to formal educations I'd been studying mainly out of boredom. As far as these inferior's were concerned I seemed just slightly above average in terms of appearance.

"Thank you." She said kindly as I allowed her into the passenger seat without a word. The metropolitan based setting hardly seemed to fade away even into the evening, a far cry of how many inhabited this hub of commerce between Federation members, political and other amenities instilled to keep said populace contently satisfied. Most were so mundane I had an urge to wonder whether they cared about their pasts ancestral histories to reinforce their current course.

_Inferior's I swear, I think God is punishing me for a lack of understanding having them have any meaning. _I walked around eyeing a vehicle which tried in vain to move closer when I had my face turned aside. It seemed the admiral's daughter couldn't be trusted in the sense of not realizing what she'd asked out. Stepping into the driver's seat I glanced over rather to notice what she'd worn out of choice entirely. It stood out to what I'd been accustomed too, a shame for the modern era it'd have been strangely exceptional.

Compacted fibers to expose tops of shoulders along arms that only revealed biceps, or portions of form arm in a silky white. Whoever designed such attires clearly didn't accent coloration to blend it so light could reflect when struck appreciatively. Her skirt was more casual to end just below knees yet partially matched an intended purpose of aesthetic meaning. But it seemed far too off for myself to take it seriously appealing. Even the foot wear seemed odd with no sense of design but a cream white coloration that looked shades too dark.

"Where you do intend to drag us off too next?" I questioned mainly to start pulling onto a main street keeping view of vehicles tailing ourselves, "There's a few social clubs that are popular!" She offered quite exuberantly as though knowing them personally to which I accepted mainly out of humor to keep herself thinking, "Fascinating." I drew out less than impressed because social gatherings tended to invoke the most irritating of behaviors.

Carol hesitantly questioned a bit unsure, "Not a fan of clubs?" I snorted finding it rather obvious but nonetheless moved onto a main street bypassing parked vehicles, "Not exactly." I pressed downwards on acceleration to make her stick to a seat, "I have another kind you'd find different. But they don't exist anymore, so it's a moot point to say I'd prefer them." Her hand gripped a doorway tightly as though she were trying to cope with high paced transportation which I tended to enjoy, a necessity both in past and future.

"Damn, you're going fast!" I smirked eyeing her briefly to see a flustered and determined expression to handle gravity's force, "Oh really? Do you want me to slow down for you?" I stated as more of a condescending taunt yet she only breathed out, "Hell no!" I raised both eyebrows rather intrigued as she provoked a being not exactly willing to say no, "I dare you to floor it!"

I chuckled lowly finding some amusement to really see if this boldness were just a front to put up. I faced an upcoming ramp leading upwards to a highway where speed because subjective in terms of those seeking thrills, "As you wish." The vehicles engine roared to where we bypassed numerous vehicles that were honking, or veering aside to avoid whenever I steered past them. The sheer force alone kept my body centered even though Carol faced difficulty to only have breathed out, "Shit! You're insane!"

My smile grew rather bemused since it was technically accurate to judge said actions, "And you're afraid of being out of control." I moved the wheel to a point where we slid in between two opposing transports that bellowed out horns. I ignored them to slide into an open lane where I kept going faster and faster not once even feeling fear, or doubt because I wasn't accustomed to going so slow in these contraptions. In war if you were slow, you were picked off and if you couldn't rapidly advance you were dead weight to be an enemy's pleasure.

_Plus those tailing us are going to have to realize, they can't accelerate compared to what I'm driving. Plenty of time to feel slightly anxious, if they're smart they'll have others appear in future intervals which suits me perfectly. _I noticed only due to a lack of particular marked vehicles faded so bar behind it'd have been impossible to keep without causing suspicion. It was quite coincidentally kind of Carol to provide an excuse, if I was questioned or not.

"Since when did you street race Roderick?" I heard my passenger question almost unbelievably amazed as I retorted blandly, "I don't." I spotted an exit where we had about another kilometer, or so to estimate it'd been sooner than later to arrive at our intended portions of this urban center. _Maneuvering yourself and those underneath you is pivotal in urban warfare, if you're bogged down anywhere you potentially invite death to a mission. So being aware and flexible to get around obstacles is far more meaningful than mundane racing for nothing at stake._

Carol giggled making me irritated since I wasn't convincing enough apparently, "It's alright if you like to get adrenaline rushes? You know?" I flatly stared to see her struggling to stop smiling since apparently danger and recklessness weren't concepts these inferior's understood, "Believe me." My voice was utterly devoid of anything remotely amused, "If I had a rush of adrenaline for what I do you wouldn't survive what I'd capable to be done, Carol."

The savoring fact of seeing her being crushed in front of an admiral spurred to veer right onto an on-ramp clearly. Easing down I slowed down in favor due to multiple obstructions of casual driving to hear her exhale out tiredly, "God damn I missed that feeling!" Every time I wondered if she understood danger I certainly began to believe it'd been oblivious, "Instinct is mainly suitable to what you're interpreting as rational thought." She glared somewhat offended but still had a smirk of approval finding aggressive driving ironically appealing.

"Is it hard for you to take a compliment you can take seriously?" I immediately retorted finding that line of thought asinine based on my circumstances, "None you can offer would be advisable, or imagined presently." I had kept a straight face while driving passively. She huffed out a few words to get me to chortle silently, "You're such an asshole! But least you make sense, somehow!"

Metropolitan like structure arose around us within minutes when traveling into down-town where I saw numerous Federation species interestingly. Humans, Vulcan, Andorians, Tellarites and so many others it puzzled me to witness such diversified populaces. There was no sense of purpose for those inhabiting their home-world, a sense of pride or knowing decree they were this world's foundation. To see alien life walking among them so flippantly just wasn't entirely natural, if humans had been to their worlds it'd been have submissive respect to not offend those in hindsight. Yet for them to do this to Earth was quite contradictory.

"First time down here?" Carol stated knowingly as I replied truthfully, "Unfortunately." She frowned a bit curious which was probably the first meaningful attempt of conversation I'd tolerated, "Why do you sound annoyed at them? Their founders of the Federation like us!" I smiled coldly bemused thinking collective interests eradicated individual species's influences, or rather they'd succumbed to peaceful co-existence to not realize they were lying to themselves. Their way of life benefited on those seeking reason, science and coming to a logical agreement whereas nature stated different based on sheer basis of unique evolution.

Thankfully I kept it simple for her sake and my inability to rationalize inferior beliefs, "Complacency just breeds ineptitude of one's self." She frowned trying to make sense of an honest observation that was generally applied to more aggressive species based on my knowledge, "So you're saying being kind and understanding make's us dumber?" Quite frankly I avoided philosophic debates because they generally degenerated into obvious points of refutable non-sense, I'd imagine questioning integrity of this so called Federation was amount to heresy of fanatical cults.

"You're a scientist, so you tell me." I drawled out less than impressed to pull into another main avenue of pedestrians eagerly going to so called night clubs. _These people have never seen war on Earth, I distinctly recall they referred it to as the 'Eugenic' Wars. Ironically closer yet so far from truth I almost want to roll my eyes at. _History without record devolved into rumor, myth and inevitably fabrications to mask an ugly of truths. But I never shied away from it to illustrate points during my reign over a nation that understood necessity.

Carol actually considered musing over it much to my internal surprise of disbelief, "I think what you're saying is wrong, because understanding each other is a mutual goal." This time I rolled my eyes before listening further as I had a shred of doubt to assume propaganda wasn't too nefarious in this era, "Really? Yet if we're designing self-defense weaponry because of the Klingon's, I guess it doesn't work entirely. In truth it's always more of compromising against something we can't reason...with?" She mused trying to make sense of what I was implying to which I literally whistled sardonically impressed.

"Now there's something to imagine!" I commented flippantly to stop at an intersection noticing it wasn't clear to accelerate anywhere, "Hypocrisy." Carol bit her lip seeing it both an insult at herself and what I'd viewed presently, "People...do change you know." I laughed harshly cold finding that fact all too real and absolutely true, "Yes, they do! It's only wrong when those try to hide it under fallacious beliefs while projecting force, even if their core foundations are enlightened cooperation when an adversary doesn't humor reason itself."

She laughed a bit unsure of how our general moods got into this predicament, "Wow! Here I thought I'd ask for your number, get a few drinks and probably talk about what we liked." I agreed mainly out of irritation finding those topics so generically insignificant because they were really, "Those who pretend to be wise are fools that are insane, but those who play fools are wise enough to be generally viewed as insane, if only to preserve sanity." I remarked mainly out of experiences to where I'd imagine it be insightful, even if this inferior creature partially understood my ideals.

"You're an asshole Roderick." I heard her say laughing a bit finding some truth to why I seemed naturally above normal men, "But there's more to you now that I see some of it." This time I smirked sardonically amused to just forewarn her very simply, "More than you'd ever imagine, girl. More than you'd ever dream actually." She laughed out of some misconception I was being very coy yet I was speaking truth so damned clearly it'd be considered misplaced. This girl thought I was just an average inferior who took himself with purpose, understanding and in general pushed those aside due to their inability of reason.

_If this weren't so pathetic? I'd have jumped out of this car to end your life, girl. Your father would hunt me down personally, but I'd be right underneath him to slit his damned throat. _I vowed internally to reaffirm why I'd humored these actions entirely. But my father, my king and people needed me to remain passive in order for success to be achieved. We'd abide our time after three centuries of being forced into service to kill when we were warriors who strive for absolute ambition, a future where nothing is needed but to remind ourselves of who we are!

"Pretend to think you don't care Mister Harrison." She spoke far more kinder and curious to tempt me into another conversation, "But you're enjoying in having me confused." Now that was something I earnestly lowly starting laughing at while shaking my head slightly, "Definitely." We continued our journey underneath large structures whose who purpose had been dedicated to social outing to say accurately. Never had I witnessed such an abundance of pointless waste of engineering when witnessing floor upon floor of these venues.

_My, my, my how centuries have allowed these inferior's to decay into pointless entertainment keeping them pacified. So much has changed and yet little has been done! _I absently inquired due to not pointing effort into locating whatever rabble gathering was Carol's idea of a causal night out, "Mind pointing out which particular racket you'd pick out?" She pointed around another corner where incredibly neon like lighting caused myself to internally feel exasperated. It stood out absolutely obnoxious to a point where I'd wish to implode it's structure to end an existence of misery.

I only commented blandly causing her to huff loudly, "Your choice certainly suits your cognitive processing." Pulling underneath a subterranean tunnel leading to where visitation off loaded themselves and deposited their means of travel was admiringly excessive. It screamed laziness, inefficient and pointless waste yet I managed to only stare levelly when individuals approached. They were flawed inferior's as were many, but genuinely acted professional to a sliver of standard, a fact I reluctantly had to admit.

Both doors were opened when I stepped out adjusting myself accordingly while peering in seeing various other patrons walking ahead. None acted rightfully cordial which irked me enough to when Carol appeared exuberant to display impatience. _Even I cannot bend myself to act like rabble who have taste in finer displays of elegance, I loathe this society for it's lack of respect! _Looking over towards a woman who innocently questioned masking a gleeful undertone, "Nervous being somewhere for the first time? I promise to stick to you like..." I cut those words off by shocking her entirely with what I did next.

An arm snaked solidly around her side to have utter control which due to my vast strength was effortlessly achieved. I had a distinct pleasure to smirk rather coldly amused, "Be careful what you wish for girl." Her face a perfected expression of petrified shock in not expecting to be so close, I'd admit it was an interesting calculative act that certainly yielded results when it shut her mouth momentarily. _If you think I'm remotely putting effort into this venture Carol, you're wrong! I severely imagine meeting those in war for diplomatic talks is far more blissful._

Glancing towards a pair of sliding doors I inquired eerily dangerous, "Now...shall we begin?" Her eyes flickered away when I prompted ourselves to move leisurely towards an entrance. Patrons of these inferior rabble yelled happily, all seemingly aware of who stood among them and their petty gazes fell upon us all too quickly. There was no need of myself to wonder as I walked with pride, strength and looked upon them all so disdainfully few tried to stand in our way. My lips were pulled into a smile worthy of instilling fear in those daring to impede the way.

Carol could only bite out words feeling slightly embarrassed due to how close she walked alongside myself, "This is new!" I chuckled quietly finding her never ending confusion absolutely fruitful to humor, "No, it is not. It is old so many have forgotten." I stood almost a full head over to have blond hair barely reaching my shoulder's tips. Even physically we towered over most inferiors save for exceptions that we deemed far too specific to die out, a trait I honed among my own people to have them being superior even among inferior.

An elevator descended precisely when we bypassed senor arrays leaving it utterly empty. I moved forward to swiftly ascend it as others tried to join but I smiled devilishly amused to have them freeze in place. _If you think you're worthy of breathing this air as myself, I doubt you're worthy of standing inside a personal envoy. Inferiors, they make me sick to my core! _I subtly shook my head before those doors closed leaving us alone, "Damn you know how to make things work out in your favor Roderick, I half expected to be crammed next to you!"

I looked door smirking rather triumphantly to merely inquire theoretically, "I can make that happen, if you're really concerned." Again she looked away but with my arm secured it'd be folly to step aside which I felt no resistance surprisingly. _Already you submit without even questioning if you can, a fact I can appreciate. _Yet I honestly got surprised when she leaned against me after hesitating a bit to speak muffled muttering, "You're an asshole."

However what she said next really struck me how old etiquette literally died centuries ago, "But at least you care to hold onto someone unlike most men today. Most just buy and drinks to expect a home run." I lazily shifted so her forehead lay perpendicular around a collarbone. I informed her rather simply, "A lack of purpose is what makes men weak. Without it, nothing has meaning, or purpose to strive for a man to become what he seeks."

Carol laughed into my clothing finding it both sweet and utterly true, "And do you have purpose then Mister Harrison?" I immediately used a mere finger to tilt her chin upwards to stare right eye to eye with pure green iris's that almost shinned naturally in faded conditions to smugly reassure, "Yes, I do! More then you'd ever dared to imagine, Carol." My purpose couldn't be replaced, nor destroyed when I had my people to fight for everyday. It was this only cause that kept me humoring whatever she believed in some misconceived world that pertained to reality.

"You have beautiful eyes Roderick. Anyone ever tell you?" She complimented genuinely amazed at how vivid they seemed to be staring right through anything as I smirked knowingly, "Of course!" Her body almost went rigid when I leaned forward just enough to whisper vindictively, "Anything less would be an insult, if I had to abide by one of your standards. Nothing can compare to what I am, girl." I didn't stutter nor did I hesitate to simply proclaim facts she'd never understand, or dared to imagine in nightmares alone.

She laughed quietly concealing uneasiness due to our proximity alone, "I believe it." I raised an eyebrow not humoring that deflecting lie which seemed too sweet, "No." I whispered coldly seeing right through a pitiful facade of understanding, "You don't believe and I think you'll never will." Leaning away which granted an exhale as her breathing had spiked considerably. The panel's lights flickered until distant beats of an irritating racket called musical surround greeted my ears. I'd get a mild headache once it became clear I'd have to tolerate these sounds.

_You believe with all your inferior, lacking and shallow mind understands to be what you perceive! But you'll never know what it is to be superior above everything!_ I smiled pleasantly masking an internal rage which kept surging of what I'd been reduced to accordingly. My jawline tightly set itself rigidly as I understood why I'd been unable to quell an uprising warrior's soul screaming for release. _Filth radiates off these walls, I've been reduced to playing what a fry-cry of a prince should have been and now, I lost everything for all my efforts._

Doors parted to assault me without abandon as I took in details far too quickly. Bright lights flickering and sway in premeditated patterns to stimulate those inhibited to lose themselves in excess's so potent I'd dared to wonder. Musical sounds more akin to gunfire squealed in internals with dulled out beats even a competent drummer choir could match. Throngs of inferiors were mingling on various levels ranging from quaint conversation to near degenerative acts of perverse waste. In short it perfectly summed up what I'd imagined of this world's era, a near lack of purpose and order to grant some fallacious peace of wonder.

One word summed everything up so damned easily, "Pointless!" I voiced out which got drowned by so much noise Carol didn't hear as she tugged me to move rapidly. Narrowing my gaze sharply she gestured to an above stairway where numerous insignia glowered in neon like white and blue making almost wince. Barely audible I heard words muffled, "It's quieter in the VIP section! I got enough social credit to apply and get it after being here a few times, trust me it's worth having a good view really."

I froze immediately once every meaning became clearer for my expression to harden in absolutely disgust. _Nothing is earned through merit in this society, loyalty or progress in which I'd agree, but status is freely given? Their lack of currency alone is astonishing when meritocracy alone can promote far more quality of stock of people, I'd agree again, but this is degeneracy given free reign for a goal of perpetual false unity! _I grew so livid I almost forced myself to fling an inferior who had the gall to dance opposite of myself. Carol noticed easily to have an angry expression forming when younger inferiors possibly from an academy of what I'd assumed of prestige inhabited this hellish exhibit of casual degeneracy.

They were far younger to be considered as children which caused my face to stoically face forward. The youth were wallowing in sheer excess of pointless abandon without duty, self-respect or moral conduct to believe themselves free slaves in this indoctrinated paradise. _Disgusting! _Disdainfully eyeing those unintelligible enough quickly scurried when facing my amounting wrath once focused on moving where Carol just shook her annoyed, "Damn academy girls! Always thinking they can find a good guy and bring him back to show off! They're jail bait Roderick." I outwardly cringed finding it far too similar to enough memories where I'd rather not recall as they scarred me terribly.

Somehow managing to avoid inhibited inferiors proved remarkable whenever they cowered as I stared pointedly forcing them to flee. None dared to challenge my superiority of will, pride and purpose even though one man tried to shove past me. He failed immensely when my shoulder checked him down onto the ground stumbling aside in shock. I never looked back in favor to be lead by at least someone above these standards onto staircases of wild patrons hollering in stupors. Monitors overhead arranged in circles played some sort of entertainment again nearly making me nauseous, God alone it simply was too much to not believe to be real!

Carol's grip considerably kept trying to pull my larger frame yet it might as well have been slight tugging of impatience. We came to another sliding doorway where two uniformed men as some sort of inadequate form of security took an extended card. They smiled kindly to allow us through even when I eyed them both gauging whether they'd last a minute. Ultimately it came out to highly unlikely because their less than impressing masses of significance in complacency of standard. They weren't even armed to deter a threat yet alone skilled to handle disruptions effectively.

Among one fortune I found appealing was I didn't need to converse with these inferiors, "He's with me tonight. I promise we'll on our best behavior!" I heard Carol jokingly tell a security officer who raised his hand, "As long as you guys don't cause issues. Guests are allowed." They unlocked a flimsy glass panel where it lead onto another floor filled with higher quality, or unassuming of higher standards for those above standard rabble. It screamed of wasteful excess to such a scale I held little patience for eyes following us to an empty table.

The entire floor had an entire level dedicated to those to mingle, or dance to this infernal racket for musical entertainment. Tables meant for several to a small group were partially filled to surround said area where dozens upon dozens became a chaotic mess of limbs. _This is barely tolerable, but I can at least think partially coherent. Never again will I set foot inside this madness of a racket, I'd rather not contend with headaches. _Miraculously out of all expectations I found our position placing us near an overview of the entire city, a vast landscape trickling of lights to where I could genuinely inspect it without being interrupted.

Sitting gracefully I leaned forward to place fists folded underneath so my chin rested comfortably. I managed to finally garner some semblance of perception to subtly keep an eye out calculating if anyone attempted to approach. But I still kept Carol, a view and an entire level of inferior rabble without tarnishing an ambush at first glance. Her bag came to settle down as movement made an eye lazily track what assumed to be a servant, or waitress greeting us naturally kind. I raised an eyebrow when Carol laughed lightly, "Oh my god Ashley! I though you weren't working tonight!" The slightly younger girl shrugged innocently before they embraced in a friendly manner.

"Good to see you too girl!" They started to devolve into a mundane conversation which I turned away in favor of ignoring inferior's discussing casual routines, "Damn! It's been a month since I law saw you here. And _not _alone with..." I heard her tone drop off suddenly when I impassively stared indifferently to see someone whose physique screamed youthful make an overt surprised expression. She waved nervously smiling kindly as I returned to over viewing an entire city debating whether to grace this inferior's existence.

But it seemed peace of mind wouldn't be granted when Carol flatly stated, "Introduce yourself you jackass! For god's sake!" I didn't smirk outwardly but it certainly provided opportunity to put in place where she stood. _As you wish, girl! _Speaking less than amused I dryly commented somewhat amazed, "It astounds me how anyone who considers you a friend when your choice of wording screams crass ineptitude."

The girl Ashley laughed loudly agreeing with myself rather insignificantly, "Damn! Burned!" Carol gritted her teeth tightly to sardonically retort, "No shit sherlock! Ashley this is Roderick, Roderick this my close friend Ashley, so be warned he's an utter asshole and dick but a colleague from work." I mildly refuted several details to cause her younger associate to struggle giggling due to how irritated it got to my target, "And you're an insecure little girl who cannot accept when those around you are superior to correct your own work. You never cease to wonder one who's simply better at what they do best."

It seemed our refuting points made a girl hunch over gripping Carol's shoulder whose gaze could have slain even a wild beast. I hardly felt impressed to level a smirk smugly taunting her to try anything and she knew it'd be impossible to try. Our servant of drinks wheezed in air unable to believe how casual our interactions seemed, "I like him! He's got balls to really put you on the spot girl, oh god I haven't seen you this pissed in years!" My target inhaled deeply visible before tightly biting out an agreement in a very stressful tone, "You have _no_ idea."

Sensing opportunity I smoothly countered by tilting my head respectfully amused, "Finally someone I can actually tolerate who appreciates criticism." The girl cheekily shot back recognizing another dig at a friend who turned redder, "Well as they say someone's got too!" I smirked wider to merely nod silently in return to go back to what I'd been doing previously. I'd humored enough to appraise how many structures were wasted efforts, an extensive calculating task which would serve to pass time effectively.

"First time this asshole actually doesn't tell someone off, I can't believe it!" Carol muttered utterly bewildered as I heard her friend giggle, "I'm just too bad! You want your usual?" She asked knowingly to which a laugh of condescending denial, "Oh hell no! I want something stronger, I'm going to need it and he'll have a...what do you want Roderick?" I closed both eyes utterly contemplating if I jumped through a window I'd be able to survive and cease this infernal interruption. But I did desire to see how quality of alcohol had deteriorated to make me regret what I lost in the past.

To avoid pointless details I stated very clearly and unimpressed to have a younger girl take it as an unspoken challenge, "Surprise me with your most inadequate quality you consider the best stock of rum, or whiskey on the rocks to see if it's actually worth remembering." Carol rubbed her temples as a younger girl sweetly promised unimpressed to hide annoyance, "Let's see if we can make something happen, sir." I grinned smugly, "Please do so, I'll enjoy it more!" It wasn't boastful yet I felt inclined to remind her if she tried anything which I found poorly, she smiled daringly as if she had a chance to turn back fate.

_Inferior you maybe girl, in mind and body, but I'll admit you have pride in your occupation which decrees to confidence. _I internally observed seeing her hug Carol again before shooting me a grin while walking away. Perhaps a rarity of youth who performed with pride, purpose and possibly held a silver of hopeful potential. But in all likelihood I'd never see many holding themselves to standards which often uplifted those to be as reason dictated. Still it troubled me greatly so few had even dared to act remotely prideful in themselves to be of sound character.

"Nice first impression, I swear she'll never let me live it down." I heard my target tiredly lament as I replied rather indifferently, "It'd do wonders to reflect." Carol huffed but delegated to ignore saying a reflexive urge to dig herself further into the metaphorical grave. A shame I'd prefer it literally yet I chose to silently remain in solace for past reflection, present and importantly future aspirations to bring about what I strove to achieve. Ironically I felt weight upon my shoulders realizing centuries of deteriorated knowledge, conduct and effort would be unfathomably infeasible given how these people were so vastly different fundamentally.

Anger surged defiantly refusing to cave in against a reality that might as well have been nightmarish. I'd never lost ambition to strive for my people's future. _Never again to be subjected! _They were to be a vanguard and eternal enduring strength to have never faded. But without myself guiding them I immaculately failed myself, I failed Khan even though he understood how grand it'd been and those who'd naturally looked upon me to give them a future entirely. War brought about the best and worst of men, a people which deserved far a more grandeur destiny. Presently they were myth, legend and at best conspiracies of historical debate.

Knuckles clenched angrily at being wronged so rightfully when that world had no justification to remove myself from power. My kingdom, nation and vast swaths of subjects majority opposed due to our exile. An entire planet damned us for their own natures, their own choices and they believed in one mutual threat to unite to have us branded as war criminals. Monsters of hell, a nightmare and they only had themselves to blame for providing circumstances to allow our birth of creation. Khan had never forgiven this atrocity when he'd selected me to overrule a territory of an Empire that did what it did best to endure resolutely.

"Roderick?" Carol's voice softly brought me lividly away from past ghosts to have my gaze burn right into concerned eyes, "Are you...okay?" I stared quietly not delegating to speak verbally yet it was clear I wasn't in any humoring mood to voice out event's she'd never dared to imagine. She stood up to sit next to me to hesitantly reach out towards hands which could break fragile bone, tendons and flesh all too easily. I hardly seemed fazed when she settled on placing a smaller limb on top of folded knuckles genuinely concerned.

My piercing gaze saw everything behind those insignificant, disgusting and objective reminder of why I lived in those eyes. Similar to an admiral's who I'd pluck out all too eagerly. _You know nothing of what makes my rage grow girl, you'll never understand as an inferior who can never see what you've become mockeries of my effort. _God may have loathed my existence at times, I'd argue over it and more so he never failed to remind me of what crushing lost adhered too. Men were flawed to cave in upon pressures outside forces conspired to end them yet I was better, I vowed centuries ago to never allow myself to do so.

The voice I heard myself turned frigidly dangerous, "Don't ask _irrelevant_ questions that don't pertain to you." I dismissed her touch to settle on angling myself to remain aloof. If that promised danger she either remained oblivious, or naturally failed to understand, "No!" I twitched both jawline and tongue to avoid crushing that damnable face into pieces, "I want you to make me understand." She pressured genuinely concerned as equally curious to cause me to laugh lightly under breath finding it too ideally sweet to play into my plans.

Facing her entirely impassively I smiled widely causing a distinct hitch in breath, "Believe me, Carol." I mocked very sardonically humoring what she'd provoked to be all too happily, "Your fickle _existence _is what fundamentally separates you from myself. One can argue it's like two literal different worlds entwined in sheer madness and your _view _so vastly _underestimates _anything it seems in a vain hope, to hope reason alone is a valid cause to justify arrogance. Especially when purpose was never a foundation for that reason itself." She looked down trying to deny a fact about their present era, I'd peg it to be considerate yet I knew those founds pierced deeper than what a knife craved.

Moments passed allowing only afflicting sounds of various music, conversations and laughter to be heard. However I heard her shakily speak up, "I guess that's why you naturally push people away." I hardly felt pleased, or remotely impressed but I allowed her to continue out of sheer indifference, "God I don't why I'm saying really. But based on you're saying how can I change myself, if you don't explain what someone could do to give a chance?" This girl had next to no idea how recklessness of chance alone came close to those ending their lives.

Coldly intrigued I offered a mere simpleton's reasoning, "Understand yourself first and see what's wrong before failing in improving a fallacious lie." Her eyes met mine again nervously as I refused to back down all too naturally, "If you fail to see reason in my words?" I prompted to chuckle coldly seeing her squirm with concepts so distant from their present I almost wanted to see her break into pieces, "Then what reason do you have to believe you realize we're not fundamentally different? If you cannot see what is wrong just outside your _petty perceived_ reality, ask yourself what hope do you cling too, Carol?"

The girl's blond hair obscured a portion of her face to which I idly swept aside quickly. I wanted to see what exactly her emotional response process every single damned question. Every damned accusation I held in reserve to humor what happens when inferior's believed themselves above those who were naturally superior, stronger, powerful and far more meaningful to rule over those who could trust themselves to ask why. Without purpose of reason there was no foundation of character to instigate progression to reflect upon those who were blinded by lies of peace, a fallacy of rudimentary dangers to do more harm than good in people themselves. Peace alone through unity only sheltered illusion of reason when itself was worthless against those who stood against it.

Carol finally garnered enough courage to meet my piercing indifference which seemingly caused an anxious response, "Because we're human." I cracked a smirk finding something ideally as suitable if not overrated to conclude, "Perhaps." But I never relented to lean away to see her breath out as though struggling to retain control of understanding itself, "It'd more suitable to enjoy these _sub-par _drinks to curb our meaningful conversation for your sake."

Ashley had returned when I looked over lazily to see her starting to settle down a tray of two drinks. Obviously an excessive coloration of bright blue near cyan had to be of someone's tastes, I studied a rather modest sized glass which was a darker reddish coloration with greenish fruit fermenting in ice for a rather suitable skill of creation. I intoned all too knowingly, "Let's see if your promises of an adept taste in drinks measure your overconfidence, girl." Carol's younger associate only shot back equally smug to wager expectantly, "It's your funeral asshole."

Despite being an inferior I respected the concept of holding one's ground and that along granted me enough leniency to tip my head, "Indeed." Again the girl sitting next to me too her drink but with trembling grip since my words precisely cracked what little psychological defenses in place, "Carol." She faced me with sheer uncertainty that I almost dropped a smirk into a leering smile. Possibly intrigued I was also partially baring teeth sounding absolutely pleased to state, "Now...shall we begin?"

* * *

Carol Marcus never expected for an official date which usually should have been standard among those she'd attempt in past to be prepared. Roderick Harrison alone indicated anything usually defined by normality would be utterly unknown. Yet despite this mindset she found herself so lost with what she'd seen, heard and understood to be so god damned conflicted. It was unnaturally exhilarating if she were be honest to have a man normally predictable by her experiences to defy everything by simply living on sheer will alone. Nothing screamed so utterly mysterious, or remotely close to define what word she'd describe this cold man sitting with herself.

Complex and vague rarely described one man naturally yet they were pale interpretations to see it in the flesh. In particular this man's every word, act and insult screamed calculating to say without preamble to an inhumane degree. Every time he did anything it threw everything she knew off, a good trait endearingly rare when most were too obvious in their intentions and to her understanding Roderick seemingly defied it! Whatever seemed normal all too naturally, it'd been shielding a man whose potential alone screamed unreal.

His demeanor never once cracked to allow any sort of warming intent save for shrewd sarcasm that favored frigid bemusement. Not once did he never lose control of swinging conversations against himself accidentally. _Elena, god damn you because I hate you so much for being right! He's an egotistical asshole! Why in the hell did you make me think it'd be a good idea to ask him out, I already feel like someone's walked all over me without even trying. _

Insufferably arrogant, a literal ass to holding casual conversation and he knew it. Sarcasm alone oozed off his tongue effortlessly, she knew it couldn't be refuted. Every point he made had a valid purpose, an ever temptation to dive further but as mentioned, he was so cold. Too cold in logical dissection no one in her memory had recalled dared to question, criticize and rip apart solid beliefs so ruthlessly. No remorse to care about what others felt about it, no hesitation to do so and his sheer confidence that few dared to match were in terms of trying to curb a said egotistical pride.

Yet despite being on a defensive morally, logically and possibly psychologically. She willingly endured it just to a gleaming insight into what made up of Roderick Harrison's being. _He claims to not care about others, so why is he speaking so meaningful just to me? What make's me tolerated when he's not afraid to be...close? _Her companion if one could claim such a role wasn't shy, or hesitant about securing what he considered purposeful. Frankly it felt unreal to wonder how physically capable said man seemed, but to actually get a taste through casual acts of possessive provocation sent shudders up her spinal cord.

Despite all frigid attempts for those to approach he held an unspoken conduct even she felt distinctly in his actions. _You maybe a cold asshole Roderick, but at least you're not a dickhead. _Mentally conjuring an image to smile nervously finding it somewhat understandable. This man who took himself seriously without giving a damn about lesser people who saw nothing, but frigid control. Confident, assured and never boasting to only shrewdly provided to criticize to make only capable individuals reflect themselves to ask why they'd understand.

Observing him cautiously trying to not appear obvious proved terribly wrong when his smirk of amusement remained in place. His reflection partially obscured by a window due to glares of light external and internal made him partially muddled. But an underlying act once he sat with purposeful intention. Legs crossed over one another with a drink idly in hand swishing ice and liquor to keep it constantly in place while supporting an ever piercing look. Though what stood most was those damnable eyes sparking subtly in lighting to give an unearthly glow.

Pure green iris's easily to be mistaken for emeralds given they were backed by pure raw and powerful emotion to show a fierce pride of life. Brunette near dark hair partially reached a jawline stern, clear and absolutely on a face meritoriously maintained by possibly physical activities. His youthful appearance masked an internal knowledge to make have him sound older, insufferably wiser and nonetheless arrogantly justified to act without consideration of those trying to see it. No person could deny an uneasy sense whenever Roderick Harrison glared right through your being, so it left anyone possibly self-consciousness to avoid crossing his time.

_So strange in how he talks to you, every time he moves it's constantly shown in him not wasting any effort. I've never even see him stretch when sitting at his office, or taken a break and he thinks about everything to prove a greater point. _Puzzling to say merely didn't do it justice, if she'd admit to someone questioning about Harrison's mentality. Nothing he hadn't ever said to anyone, or her entirely was sensible which ironically proved to be most insensible thing about him as a whole due to it being surreal.

She wouldn't deny being interested in him for both appearance and daring curiosity. Especially when he'd appeared in their quadrant of researchers making waves on day one. Improving weapon theory to have it efficiently upgraded destroying entrenched protocols of safety, to radically pointing out medical procedures effectively successful at great cost, he'd done it and pushed anyone daring enough into corners they'd be forced to cave philosophically. So why did it seem so forced though? At first she'd believe he got off on tearing down a person like he'd been doing it all his life, it obviously screamed a sign of egotistical pride in never abiding to lower himself.

All in all to seem unapproachable by first impressions, now Carol knew better slightly. But this insufferable sense of being looked down upon by him personally, it'd grown to such a degree it felt natural for to him to act so justified. _If someone ever told me I'd be contemplating morals with an asshole like him, I'd ask what they were smoking and want it. Hell, if this is what he considers a casual night out god help us all when he gets serious! Can't even imagine what he'd come up with, or I'd go insane looking over my shoulder to guess._

Drinking liquor which pleasantly burned she asked somewhat curiously to the man who swished his around leisurely signaling boredom, "You haven't drank much." Those eyes briefly glanced over with an ever expected jibe, "Ever the perceptive one aren't you?" But gathering enough to anger to stem a reflexive urge to curse she did reply kindly, "Too strong?" That proved to be ideally wrong to say as his smirk widened impassively amused. It almost made her heart lurch due a surreal sense of him playfully instigating.

"For you maybe." His gaze focused on taking in details of their view high above most buildings seemingly appreciative of it, "But I imagine it lacks a unique flavor. Although I'll admit it's sufficient for being...creative." Her eyebrows actually went up surprised due to him coming as close for anyone to compliment anything really. Hell it was probably one rarity to mark down, if compliments were gold being mined again she assume someone stuck a literal mother load.

Impeccably smirking hopefully due to finding a mutual habit they shared to talk about. She questioned a bit curiously all too impishly, "You have a favorite?" He didn't respond immediately in favor of looking upwards to see flickering stars overhead. She waited slightly impatient yet really noticed his gaze narrow briefly. A subtle sign he'd considered whenever thinking of an answer that gave nothing, or just enough away to avoid being specific.

"None today would ever enjoy it." Roderick quietly spoke up amused to smirk finally as an eye pinned her in place, "I savored it because it'd always remind me of my purpose." Naturally her curiosity played itself strong to bold dig further, "And what purpose is that?" The young man slowly turned facing her entire smiling coldly entertained by something he possibly enjoyed, "To never fail at what I do best, Carol. Remember that always."

Once a glass dipped accordingly by careful movement so green eyes shining off light reflected gave off an unearthly sight. _Oh my god. _Her spine tingled in either twisted anxiety, or perhaps the alcohol's buzzing effect kick started faster than expected. But she laughed lightly only sealing an important detail to further extend a man's smile sitting mildly entertaining, "Cross my heart and hope to die." Jokingly placing a hand over said organ which beat ridiculously furious as a result. Warmth seemingly seeped into her general mood to find their situation oddly comforting.

However it felt strangely once Roderick laughed openly extremely amused to only say dauntingly coy for once, "I'll hold _you_ to it, Carol." If that were an eerie promise she'd do slyly imply, "And if I don't Mister Harrison?" Leaning forward to cup her cheek to cheekily appraise a man who raised an eyebrow finding it oddly entertaining. Every time he did such a thing it lead to an unexpected look which accented his ever stoic appearance of control.

He only chucked once to simply say, "Then you'll learn something very clear about me." Placing a glass down easily to tap it's outer rim humorously. A single index finger began tracing circles within it's interior swiping aside droplets of liquid, "Always realize what words you say, if your life depended on it." The smile she tried so hard to uphold cracked into a whimpering snort before finally laughing covering her mouth. It was a typical asshole like deflection but on Roderick it might as well been him enjoying their conversation!

His expression never changed once to watch with a smile in place lightly tapping the glass's rim. _God damn I expected him to insult me, or something! But cliches of all things? _She slowly calmed down inhaling slightly to smile widely finding some sort of angle to lean onto him. Amused she all but demanded lightly, "Do you ever hear yourself talk Roderick?" He raised an eyebrow partially enjoying their interaction given a smug retort, "No more than I have to bare in listening to you every time. I humor it mainly."

She scoffed hotly not even remotely insulted for a change, "Asshole." Leaning back to look over an entire floor of partying people she saw Ashley from behind a bar giving salute encouragingly. Grinning she motioned to get another for them both, "How come you don't talk a lot at work? I mean am I the only you find tolerable, or something?" An earnest question seeking to dig up more reasoning to really put things into possible interactions at work.

An ever expected response didn't dissuade her from seeing a hint of truth, "I don't have a choice." He lazily looked around similarly taking in everything absently devoid of impression, "And here I sit humoring your never ending ignorance. It's entertaining enough, so yes I tolerate it." Slyly accepting a compliment of her determination to put up with a front of inflated ego definitely rewarded a sense of fair trade, "And I'll keep dragging your sorry ass back here to make you suffer! How's that for tolerating an asshole?"

If Roderick gave away any surprise he never showed an exterior reaction at all. But his smile curved upwards enough to humor a bold insinuation, "How kindly quaint of you." Both cheeks flushed naturally when it sounded like he'd challenged her directly, "Smug bastard aren't you?" His smooth rebuke almost made her want to slap him for being insufferably assured, "Takes one to know one as they say, right?"

If anything this man would never cease to think he was above everyone. Smiling fondly just enough she'd humor a feeling which hadn't ever been experienced. Roderick Harrison would learn what kind of woman she'd strive to become, a person and asshole he may been without doubt. But funnily enough he was also probably the best in making a conversation turn into something undeniably memorable to last. So she promised herself to never back against a man who only respected one thing as a natural obstacle, "Fuck you too, asshole."

* * *

I parked the car into a vacant space alongside the sidewalk finally putting an end to my night. It'd been late enough to where Carol wanted to get some sleep, I accepted mainly since I'd been nursing a headache officially. Overall my success tonight had been far too eventful to deny, I'd say it went too perfectly I almost expected a factor I never considered. Genuine interest due to sheer ignorance providing bold rewards without having to put effort into it, I found it so bitterly sweet and I only had to tolerate it entirely.

"Next time we're going on a long drive." Carol partially moaned in disappointment finding excessive acceleration of speed some strange to be approving, "Damn Ashley for getting me buzzed again!" She grumbled naturally to which I only responded soundly in kind, "Perhaps you should plan ahead for your own actions." Her mild glare served to entertain notions of having those eyes widened in terror when an inevitable blade tenderly would be declared.

Yet far too quickly she grinned by sarcastically waving a hand, "Thank you again for caring!" I snorted lightly finding a deteriorated girl utterly too pathetic to deny it, "As much you'd like to believe what you say, Carol." Her smile radiated gleefulness to such an extent it only served me further to know I was on course of my planning, "You love it." I resisted rolling both eyes in favor to get out of the vehicle walking around to open a passenger door somewhat hasty. Success tonight deemed enough to cease pretending to not enjoy solitude.

_At least the admiral's shadows are nearby to force me to avoid doing anything physically. _I rationalized in favor to offer a hand politely to a girl who struggled to not giggle. Simply supporting her light weight almost seemed nonexistent, I'd have to really consider avoiding ending any possible incidents if I wanted to savor a time when I got my orders. It'd be a shame on my part to not at least have some sort of challenge matched against my capability, a lesson of restraint and drawing out a demise to effortlessly enjoy.

"You walking me home now?" She impishly teased in haze of emotions a bit flattered as I retorted blandly, "Perhaps." It'd definitely elude to natural progression to throw off those tailing us, or succeed in driving the admiral into a fit of panic. Either option suited my ambitions perfectly, so I smiled coldly appeased to assist the girl up steps ever innocently deceitful. It tempted me to remotely consider gaining access to her home, a prospect to inevitably alarm one man in particular who'd drastically react given these parameters.

Coming to a door way I only allowed her to unlock it before opening it ever diligently. Traditionally pure to offset true intention I only offered my sincere amusement to have it fail, "Do try to sleep well tonight, Carol." She smiled warmly in response offering a natural response, "Don't you want to tuck me in? I might get nightmares." Underneath an overhanging light which kept darkness of shadows astray I only declined, "Too soon girl, it's far too soon."

She seemed to exclude a sense of disappointment to which I only manipulated into what I anchored to keep her adrift in ignorance. Leaning forward I came within inches of her face as warm escaping air froze in shock. I curled a smile masking eyes which burned with an internal rage so fierce that I barely managed to whisper cynically amused, "Enjoy what innocent dreams that you can imagine, girl. I assure you'll never have them, if I'm around you too often."

She mistook my truthful intention as a surreal sense of affection, "I don't know about that really, Roderick Harrison." Her whispering sent a numb tingling sensation along my own ear rather effectively, "If I dream about you? It might be a nightmare I think I can pull through, right?" My lips pulled back to widen exceptionally finding her ignorance so damned sweet, I had no choice but to impart a lasting reminder.

Angling my face to see an eye widen as I narrowed a gaze deceptively coy, "Be careful about what you wish for!" Easing instinct to enact centuries long retribution I only gently pushed her into a doorway. I saw her numbly allow it to happen while speaking simply to warn her, "Don't be a heavy sleeper. I may just slip inside one day, if you're unfortunate enough." I saw her gulp audibly before smiling widely almost daringly, a sign I'd succeeded yet again.

"Oh really?" She questioned seriously to start closing a door impishly tempting I knew about what inferior's failed to realize. They should never dare a monster to uphold his word, "I dare you too." I couldn't hold back utterly satisfaction to genuinely smile for once all too happily, "Be careful in what you're asking me to promise, Carol. You should always remember I never fail at what I do best, so have a good night and sweet...dreams."

I turned away with hands in both pockets concealing tremors of unrestrained excitement! I heard the door close with her breathing almost in utter shock, I enjoyed when plans seemingly fell into place without even maneuvering factors. But my objective was clear, I'd made progress without revealing anything relevant, or endangered my people's survival. I only had to look off to the side to see dark tinted vehicles pulling away and I only smiled pleased. I stared upwards seeing stars flickering innocent over vast distances to merely whisper, "You should never tempt those monsters who warn you truthfully, we don't lie because we'll never stop enjoying a nice night."

**End Chapter II**

**Author's Note: **Now did you notice something particularly unique about Alexandrian (Roderick) during the conversations, an oddity that even the movie for all purposes either unknowingly, or does mirror in Khan. Despite their motives both men do utilize the truth without giving away their intentions, lightly revealing a general goal to achieve in relative fashion, a reasonable one and is hinted they'd do whatever it takes to achieve it. Now granted I'm not an expert on psychological subjects, or competent to act like this in a public setting. But it definitely sends up a chilling realization what one person believes is often a fatally overlooked understanding, if I mean you encounter someone whose attitude parallels to this character it's entirely relatable. Yet there's a small difference between father and son, a very interesting difference.

You'll notice possibly in the next update when things aren't as what they seemed, I mean the Augments as a whole have serious flaws of internal pride to such a degree it makes them insufferably unreasonable. But if you look at what Alexandrian uses to describe them as one of their kind, he uses a unique term of 'Ascendant' which is to imply more than being engineered, if we're to believe based on the context I'm reading further into Star-Trek lore. It's daunting when there's a lot of reading to cover about this series, I mean I thought I'd be able to handle some of it but not exactly. It's a lot to take in, I tend to submerge myself by watching, reading or simply taking in what movies and series as lessons objectively speaking.

I have my flaws personally both as writer, person and belief yet I acknowledge it to always learn regardless. Still I'm determined in striving to overcome an already saturated concept to make it simply unique, a little different but enough to say it's original regardless. As for the end goal of this story potentially, I have a feeling many will either be terrified, or bewildered enough to say it's decent enough to become satisfying. Overall I had fun writing this regardless of what's been said, I tend to listen to advice and love reviews to always remind me where I'll always struggle.

So have a safe day, take care and leave a review, if you'd please!


	4. Chapter III

**Star Trek**

**The Prince of Fire**

**Chapter III**

All too easily my thoughts were exhilarated when I re-read a message encrypted from Khan who had smuggled a code underneath a wireless transmitter. I sat quietly in my office cubicle ignoring laughter, or small murmuring gossip as I leaned forward eagerly drinking in our latest update. _Alexandrian, I trust you're successful in your on-going objective, I've heard that Admiral Marcus is quite distressed ever since his agent's depicted photo's of his daughter and yourself. An act of subversion, I approve of it since it has given me leeway with his attention focused else where. It was an in-genius plan of shrewd initiative to give us more time for myself to aid in our people's eventual freedom._

My smile hadn't lessened when it portrayed genuine relief, in knowing what I'd put myself through aided in Khan's plans. Whispering lowly I almost allowed a voice to crack happily, "Thank you, father." It'd been too long since we last saw each other face to face, I missed him and partially of those who weren't against myself still cryogenically frozen in a prison outside of their control. Days had passed since an initial humoring proved to be utterly invaluable! An act I'd have to maintain and ultimately succeed in where others would falter in their wills alone.

_Time is both our enemy and ally, Alexandrian! Marcus maybe presently distressed yet he keeps on preaching about glorifying war for petty needs, I will promise he'll not live if I get my way. _I laughed lowly agreeing since it was an image worth preserving given our predicaments. Yet we'd have our own satisfactions to look forward in our future. My father at all never failed in his bid to eliminate those foolish to control him, or us as I'd never done so. I kept that faith to keep resolve well solidified to do what needed to be done.

Continuing to scroll underneath several numerical codes exposing attached data I uploaded enough to assist in Khan's ambition. Although I almost wanted to frown when I read his last portion of words to feel earnestly conflicted. _If it is necessary, I trust you to do whatever is within your mission to stay close to the admiral's daughter. Use her to your mind's best methods, or ruin a bond between to her father to make it effective, always use your instinct to keep her in place. You're no stranger in getting close to those who are our enemies, if it suits your cover more then you have my permission to entangle yourself in her mundane life, son._

The possibility to aggressive pursue my father's intended suggestion held enough merit to override irritation. I could only reflect ever since returning to my cover as a development specialist to see an all too clear difference. Carol hadn't stopped smiling for whatever reason, or rather kept a genuinely smug grin if we made eye contact. I never reacted save for an impassive expression which only seemingly encouraged her, or rather what I rationalized entirely. It'd lead to an excessive amount of inferior's insensible voices either pushing my tolerance for irrelevant questions to a level I hadn't dealt with in centuries.

Regardless my smile remained in place ideally pleased, "Inferior's never cease to amaze me in how blind they really are!" I murmured absolutely amused to only reply back to Khan's message keen on minimizing detection through internal security. I typed out three words, "Be safe, father." And uploading a schematic assisting in torpedo development did I send it back. It left me to deal with what my orders pertained with Khan's go-ahead.

Contrary to my immediate problem it wasn't about remaining in close proximity to Carol Marcus physically. _Entangling myself in her personal life is the next logical step, but initiating that is quite unfamiliar territory. Perhaps it'd be wiser to bide my time, to seek advice from those she considers as confidants to solidify my subversion._ Unusually unsure I frowned briefly since it'd be simple to keep my current standing, I had father's approval to go further which couldn't be disobeyed. We both were staking our people's lives, so I had to consider every avenue and pinpoint which would be most effective to succeed.

Staring idly at console's screen I absently corrected several flaws within a proposed medical vaccine from killing another inferior's organs. _If there's one thing I can appreciate about their technological advancements, I can't help but notice they never factor in what makes any virus endure despite all odds. _I may have been exceptional in fields many would rightfully envy, or considered inferior yet during my reign, I'd delicately hand pick those who were natural talents. Standards centuries ago were always raised high in order to weed out those who lacked intuition to submerge themselves into fields of specialists, but in this present era it'd been heavily standardized into manufactured mediocrity to allow a waste of resources.

Smiling fondly I only spoke one word understanding why these inferior's in this current age struggled to contend against an organism's most critical component, "Will." Virus's became diseases of singular cellular cores which were driven by unrestrained will to do what it naturally did. To cripple a host, to weaken it in order to survive and inevitably flourish when it refused to be annihilated by forces it'd never contend with naturally. Ironically I found father's orders entwined with such a situation involving Carol Marcus, I was being well aware of what virus I'd expose myself towards.

It'd be highly unlikely for my will to falter yet I'd never lower myself to never be cautious of any actions I'd undertaken. _It's a strange thing that I feel surreal to believe it, I'm actually reminiscing of a time when I wasn't always so apprehensive. _Unable to quell old wounds which still seemed fresh, I bitterly chuckled believing fate had a twisted sense of irony. I'd once been nearly fooled in a similar situation during my early years of ruling a kingdom. Only difference now after experiencing such betrayal, I know without doubt I would traverse in the very same steps to do what someone else did who'd gotten too close.

In the end I dismissed dead memories due to where it'd lead up too, "I've humored inferior's long enough to know they'll always be deceiving fickle creatures." I proceeded to focus attentively on completing several pages worth of overview, I certainly held a disdainful mood. Resulting in I ruthlessly pushed this era's sense of ethics to an extreme by sending another proposal for consideration. Why bother saving lives when they'd end on their own terms, so it'd be a boon to push them on their way in the name of progress. If several died for potentially having thousands enduring life, well I'd be happier to know I at least gave some sort of contribution pretending I found it enjoyable.

_Still I've avoided my own original intention, in what to do next? _Probability dictated to seek out a person inquiry towards those closer to my target's trust. Two individuals stood out immediately in ample clarity. _Amusing, I have to play the fool to get a wiser fool's insight! _Now I scowled slightly because only one was within in this building's proximity. It was that elder woman whose union of marriage I reluctantly respected due to sheer dedication, if it still bothered me how rare it'd been I certainly acknowledged it.

As I began my task an irritation revealed itself when a man's head popped over the right side whispering secretively, "Hey Harrison!" Disdainfully I stared silently making him cringe outwardly yet he managed to say, "Mind telling me what's happened between you and Carol? It scares me how much she's smiling and actually being god damned _kind _to a lot of people today." Temptation to wrangle his exposed neck in order to do this planet a service regretfully was reigned in. By god I almost considered if I'd hadn't, I knew it'd make a day far more pleasant.

Mildly restrained I held an inner opportunity to make it known casually, "Shall I rearrange your facial structure so your tongue can be curbed?" I coldly inquired curiously in having him raise both hands timidly, "Hey! I didn't want to ask you of all people, okay?" My expression hardly looked pleased, given I had to waste time pretending to be civil to this wretched inferior. Yet remarkably there was a silver of truth in his words, a rarity if I'd imagine but nonetheless intriguing.

"While I've never dreamed in delegating time to care about pointless gossip of those who spend more time lacking in progress." I drew out not even humoring to conceal disdain for those envious of what I'd contributed to research on both weapon and medical fields. Of course it'd been a rightful fact of myself to think nothing of their petty jealousy, if it didn't involve my target I'd have considering ramming a harmless butter knife to close that hole polluting air. I still managed to see his face cringe since I pleasantly hissed, "Just think whose head is going to roll for _you_ to pay a consequence for irritating me?"

The man visibly started to pale rightfully gauging I wasn't pleased, "Listen man!" Those disgusting eyes amateurishly in vain tried glancing around to see if anyone spied upon him, "Don't take it the wrong way, I'm engaged to be clear!" If anything I understood this had to be a surreal moment! For once ever since awakening I'd vastly overestimated an almost for certain cretin of burden. One naturally of inferior stock had actually been of use to someone was even worse, I could only dare to imagine how!

Still regardless of how by god's grace I pointed out blandly impressed to stoically state a word, "Fascinating!" His gaze looked over a shoulder to vividly hiss back, "Good god man!" I raised an eyebrow in response as an angry miscreant finally revealed an interesting development, "Don't you get it? Couple guys are pissed off because of Carol, they can't stand someone like _you _is making her smile so much after a week! Word is a guy who got told off asking her out is going to demand why in the hell you got too without trying."

Naturally inferior's would feel envious since it was their right to know where they stood. Still at least this particular one held enough integrity to not tolerate anything too _devious _towards my target. I'd oblige if only to solidify what was my claim to cultivate Carol Marcus's in good standing health. _Such a stroke of good fortune in a way I can't ignore, so maybe today will be very pleasant after all! It seems I'll just have to restrain myself from doing anything potentially fatal, for now._

Nonetheless I bypassed an obvious distressed miscreant to only incline a suitable response, "Always an inconvenience when lesser men show they truly are within." He rolled both eyes grumbling to mutter behind my back, "You're welcome dickhead!" My smile hadn't lessened due to finding an internal pleasure in seeing them flounder before their superior's in everything. It seemed I had to remind those beneath an Ascendant where they stood mentally, spiritually and more! More so, where they stood to break, if they invested an anticipation of physical prowess.

Moving along past cubicles where hushed whispers of concern started reaching my ears I knew I was on the right path. Glancing simply into an empty office where Carol Marcus usually inhabited, I moved further down a hallway leading towards the recreational wing. Despite being mediocre in their work habits, I'd admit they took a slightly above average care of physical standards and as a result most were relatively healthy to cope in an unnatural environment. Small portions of an entire building's wing were dedicated to spaces of physical training, recreational reading and other such conveniences. It all ideally came with being apart of an upper section underneath Star-Fleet's personnel to theoretical research and development sectors.

Slowly approaching an open doorway where several miscreants sat at a table looking incredibly anxious. The reason being came all too revealing with Carol Marcus and another individual arguing heatedly. Intentionally I conveniently stopped near a corner just to overhear an irrelevant disapproval, "You got be fucking kidding! That _guy _isn't worth getting your head wrapped around!" It came from a younger inferior whose reputation for being a supposed admiral in waiting. Connections were quite a common occurrence in safe times, or more so for dedicated bureaucrats that weren't exactly efficient in their roles.

Based on tone alone I could detect accurately my target annoying retort, "And why do you care? Want to get Roderick alone?" I inwardly resisted smirking finding that prospect utterly tempting, "Carol he's god damned trouble! Any sane person would agree with me, shit woman I mean he's practically a machine whenever anyone else tries to say hello to him on a damned morning!" A factual aspect of my cover I gladly adhered too whenever in their presence, so I often found solitude very appealing until I'd been assigned to shadow an admiral's daughter.

It must have triggered something loose for Carol to snap, "Not everyone apparently!" She literally hissed vindictively pleased to probably cause a disgusted expression to form, "Yeah, we've noticed!" The man revealed sourly as continued possibly being sincere in his defense, "We're all concerned ever since we only seen him literally _walk _and _insult _you since fucking day one!" An accurate observation I entirely felt naturally impressed they'd noticed such clear and limited details. At this rate I'd have to sit down inevitably, I was on point to be immensely bemused.

"Where do you get off on acting like you're my father, or anything!" She accused tensely finding his reasoning offensively personal for incredibly wrong reasons, "You and everyone else are pissed! Because he's doing things you'd _never _have a damned thought, inside those skulls you call talent!" Finally she acknowledged inferior's including herself as limited, inept and utterly shallow creatures manufactured in their enlightened civilization, "Fuck! God damn you're being such a jealous prick that it's pathetic, I can't even decide to laugh, or pretend it's sad!"

Lazily crossing my arms I took those praising remarks all too naturally pleased. _Perhaps I've underestimated your determination as misplaced ignorance Carol, I might actually have to be careful what I say. _Out of general experience I never had a target willingly defend what many in their petty lives deemed to be true. I should have been revolted yet I listened for an excuse to grace their presences to see looks of bewildered anxiety, "And top it off! Months ago I said to hell with you, god who doesn't know our dad's are old friends, I know it and you do too! Fucking god that doesn't mean I'm yours by default, dickhead!"

Another piece of information unwillingly set my mind on a path of retribution! I smiled widely since it brought me back to a time when I'd gone off on a rightful crusade, I was against an entire country of those foreigners who'd raped mine almost into oblivion. _Those were true worthy days testing in all my being, I'd hunt down and systematically eliminate every family member of every official garnering time to sow confusion. When our army came crashing through their borders, they were so utterly fearful of a 'phantom' leaving blood, death and fire in it's wake every time when a relative was found hung on a street pole._

"Your father trusts me to look for since we've known each other as kids!" The man shot back defiantly putting out another critical piece of my subversion to succeed flawlessly, "Good god Carol! I wouldn't have cared, if I didn't say anything!" There had to be history of them arguing over such mundane topics because she refused to back down, "Says a man who threatened to expose my love life to my father! Not to mention your daddy's got connections to get his soon into commanding a star-ship after a year of working here."

That proved to be rather enlightening given how internal families even during my own kingdom propped up bloodline status. Although I'd been more strict to garner any position on merit, ability and shrewd criticism to see if they were that confident to be capable. But still I listened amused to hear an exhaling breath of irritation, "It's always that with you! Your father's issues, yourself and it's all because your mo..." He never had a chance to say anything more before Carol smashed something into pieces. I got an impression it was a touchy subject to assume mildly.

Miscreants who'd been watching things progress anxiously started to get out of their seats. They'd tried to vacate but frozen all too vividly due to my amused expression. I coldly shook my head ever so clearly as though I'd taken a garnered interest in this confrontation. Several looked back before to myself again as they obeyed, if only fearful of what misplaced escalation could have potentially erupted. I made no such action known save for tilting my head to apparently hear a bit closer, I certainly held little qualms to interrupt in favor of attaining crucial information.

"Always like bringing that up don't you, Zachary?" Seemingly an old friend only bitterly replied, "I can't change what you did, Carol. But at least I'm not going to see you get crushed when that fuck head toys with you. Please, I know when guys like him think it's all a game!" Her silence alone indicated I'd allowed a conversation to turn away from my favor long enough. If I wasn't careful they would be doubt, a factor I couldn't allow to flawlessly ruin an already natural phenomenon few dared to hope fall into their own hands.

Easing off a leisurely position I only dismissively flicked my hand to have a small group of several inferior's part ways. If they'd been anxious beforehand it'd certainly developed into tense anticipation and concern, a wiser mindset to be adequately held. The man had his back towards myself whereas Carol's shattered mug of coffee whose quality wasn't too bland leaked down an entire counter. Yet my only priority was being impended by another, who seemed to be youthful as I expected bemusedly. Not even barely a man but believed he knew games, I doubted he'd known when he'd already been in one since birth, an irony I'd correct ever so willingly inevitably.

Miraculously in this foolish inferior hadn't heard my lightly paced steps behind himself. But he continued onward in accurately based assumptions, "You ever see him actually _look _at you when you're back is turned, Carol? It's not normal for fuck's sake, god damn it's like he's...eyeing you like you're some deer, or something!" Temptation to silence an ignorant miscreant's truthful suspicions almost killed me internally, I'd had to settle on genuine surprised horror. In response I looked towards a pot of brewing coffee, a suitable task. To be frank I knew I indulged rarely on occasion, I never tried too yet I'd make an exception today.

Careful being deliberate in quietly obtaining a fragile glass I filled it lightly smirking as I glanced over from behind. My target looked ready to viciously defend against partially truthful slander, "And like you're any different you! Roderick at least treats me like I'm someone interesting, he doesn't pretend to...oh!" Her eyes met my smirk of amusement while liquid filled despite grinding beans within. But more importantly I got to savor a younger man whose barely wasn't a child turn around rigidly, I memorized every feature for future reference.

Just by staring pleasantly unperturbed by accusations many would've been seething outwardly. Happily in that I made an inferior stumble back sucking in air, I found myself humoring a pleasant appearance. Again leisurely adding several careful amounts of powder for good measure I only stated, "You've never ceased to amaze me, Carol." Noticing several choices of silver ware which weren't entirely solidified metal, or even remotely capable for piercing flesh but I took a mere spoon to stir the brew contently, "I often wonder, why! How do you have an unfathomable power to inconvenience me wherever I turn up?"

Her speechless reaction proved utterly delightful when I suitably began sipping as though nothing were wrong. In fact I encouraged coldly, "But by all means, please do _continue_ your conversation! I'd say it just got entirely meaningful." I stared over to see an obviously intimidated youth who tried to put up a front of courage yet failed miserably. It'd been insulting to even call it courage when thousands before him even as inferior's who served underneath me, they'd been worth ten's of thousands of these modern day piss-ants.

"You think you're so smart, Harrison." I refused to name this future corpse even with humor as I smoothly retorted smugly, "Compared to _your_ intelligence? It's not even worth mentioning." Whispers arose behind from witnesses eagerly, or uneasily noticing obviously when his skin burned intangibly dark red. Feigning boredom I silently addressed Carol's slower cognitive function who seemed to be a mix of relieved, or a bit apologetic.

Still I made an earnest halfhearted show of feeling slightly annoyed, "If this is what you consider to be purposeful to make me feel inferior, Carol?" I looked to a shorter youth who barely reached my eyes alone, "I can only assure you both! It only shows your lack of taste in lesser habits." She snorted trying to avoid laughing due to how mundane I'd insult another without losing out to a natural desire of gleeful eagerness. It certainly only made a future far more sweeter to enact, if my father's orders ever came down inevitably.

"You god damned smug prick! Always thinking you're better than everyone else!" The youth hissed lividly trying in failing to fall into a rage which I'd all too eagerly provoke, "Naturally! Because I am better and far more so." I wagered simplicity for lesser minds to ponder their inferiority, "But to you? There's no need to really think, I can only imagine why I bother to humor misguided, pampered and envious children."

Insults among personal character never failed when it came to those in bureaucratic families who predictably snapped. _It took far more considerable effort, patience and showcased resolve to knowingly contend with enemies who hatred your very existence. _But at least centuries ago they were far more aware to see obviously baited words to circumvent them. However there wasn't any self-awareness in times of a long established peace of reason and understanding. And I found out all too quickly, a sign of utter brilliance.

Carol remarkably foresaw what would happen though not accurately, "Enough!" She got in between us both even when I casually sipped in just enjoying a look of sheer frustration. I moderately found myself intrigued to hear a threat inside that mind of hers, "Maybe you should take a page out of his book, Zachary! You try anything with him, or if I hear anything in starting a fight? God help you, because I'll have your ass sent so far up to the moon where you'll piss yourself for being an immature shit, by pissing _me _off!"

All too naturally I only commented blandly unimpressed, "Amusing since it'd hardly be a fight." Her glare looked readily potent yet I wasn't even remotely humoring to stare back undeterred. She still quietly said tensely, "Shut it asshole!" My natural approving grin managed to keep her from failing too much to turn to face a youth who looked utterly disgusted, "And as for you?" The youth struggled to hold his ground against a being who shouldn't have naturally commanded unease like I'd perfected, "Get the fuck out of my sight, or god help me before I put your ass up in your daddy's car."

Even I raised an eyebrow mystified due to such a crass dismissal seemed to make sense. _Fascinating times I've found myself in, a bit crude yet you need to convey your disdain more, Carol._ Nonetheless I considered it an achievement of influence when the youth growled lowly to stomp away. I lazily kept him in peripherals hopeful he'd make an underhanded strike. But alas I was denied my willing desire to ultimately take consolation in securing Carol's misguided actions, a minor tactical defeat to uphold a war of victorious conclusion.

Absently impressed to see an inferior send off an even lesser one made my smirk remain, "A little a bit more disdain, Carol. And you'd have fooled him into shame!" I criticized amused as she rolled both eyes muttering, "Thanks!" Reaching over I idly started to calmly dry up warm liquid with a towel meant for such incidents, "As I said to you on our night out! To say words carefully, to know of consequences and it'll be quaint to those who know what they mean. So I meant that as a lesson, honestly."

Carol Marcus loudly snorted but wordlessly assisted myself in feeling a tad bit grateful for said actions, "My father's well known and respected as an admiral of the fleet. Zachary is just living beneath his dad's own good service, I went my own way unlike a daddy's boy." I only considered my own circumstance to slyly disagree finding it a challenge of worth ascendancy, "For a son to surpass, or to one day become an equal to his father's worth is a grand ambition few willingly aspire for a greater cause. Or so what I imagine it to be, Carol."

She didn't answer to refute my claim verbally at first. But she kept a small smile again grateful I spoke only of truthful intentions. _To think being vague is so effective to these inferiors, if only they'd pursue purpose to possibly hint at a hope of those centuries ago undertook underneath my reign. _It'd have been highly unlikely to feasibly imagine centuries of manufactured indoctrination, propaganda and one sided ideals could be undone beneficently. They lost consideration in one moment of unified rebellion to have us exiled to deep space damning us, my efforts and my ambitions.

"Still regardless of our unexpected lessons of philosophical understanding." I drew out pleased since it certainly aided to make my mood far more tolerable, "Are you well?" She looked smiling far more kindly to coyly state, "I am now." Impeccably raising both eyes I only looked expectantly to have her laugh lightly, "Oh please, I'd have been fine, Roderick! Kid's may seem tough, but I'd kick him in the balls hard enough he'd have to lose one to save another."

Despite agreeing I only remained skeptically bemused to imagine such a scenario, "Highly unlikely." Crossing both arms her smirk screamed tempting to prove me wrong, "There's an open gym with boxing gloves...tough guy." I hardly feel for such a lack luster attempt to play her game to simply retort assured, "You'd never survive if we fought Carol, I highly ill-advise it." She knew I wasn't intimidated while huffing disappointingly to lamely save face, "I'd at least would get one good punch in for you being an asshole."

An image appeared unknowingly panning out actions leading to a conclusion I'd never be able to piece together. Tempting as it may have been to restrain myself, I pushed aside any manner of a target improving themselves no matter how irrelevantly mentioned. Tossing out an overly damp cloth I mentioned rather intrigued, "Is this going to be a foreshadowing of our next night out? I'll be impressed, if it hold up at this rate." The look of priceless surprise fascinated expectations to question whether I'd be able to push further ahead of schedule.

Nervously shy which seemed such a steep contrast moments ago I watched her reply, "Can we go for a long drive?" Despite her oddity of a request I'd miscalculated whether she unknowingly found danger itself a common victim unnaturally, "Perhaps. Is there any destination you'd prefer?" Her smile radiated all too happily by blurting out an even perfected area to have accidents, "I've wanted to go hiking on a mountain! You and I have sick leave, so we can get paid to a trip tomorrow and be back here next week."

Her entire proposal practically had been a scenario I'd implement due to sheer convenience alone. _You're courting danger with every word you believe Carol. Now how could I not accept to see it potentially, especially you when it's been invoked! _As meager environmental concerns had been in the past to which I struggled extensively to advocate, I admired I'd acknowledge those in this era took considerable care to have it preserved. So it also angled onto to have myself keep aside a mission to in favor mutual common habits.

Nonetheless I blandly inquired if she'd physically be capable to traverse rural terrain, "Will I have to concern myself? If you lack endurance to walk?" If she'd been insulted I'd have been utterly prepared but I miscalculated soundly. Her face turned deviously daring to come to look up at me patting a shoulder very impeccably fondly, "I may look like a pretty face mister Harrison. But you're going to be begging me to slow down once I get going, if you can keep up at all." I tilted my face stoically before an ever prideful grin partially exposed what of I thought, in she tempted a monster all too acceptably of that wager.

"Be careful what you wish for, Carol." I leaned forward to whisper coldly unimpressed since she had no idea what it'd been like to infiltrate strongholds embedded on cliff faces. She stiffened naturally realizing it'd been highly ill-advised to tempt someone whose sheer prowess of being better showed, "When I'm through with you? I dare say you're going to need assistance trying to stand up, I'll promise you that much. Since you picked a vastly _superior _opponent to provoke!"

It'd been a threatening measure to forewarn of what many considered forced marches on a battlefield. Yet oddly enough she whispered right back effectively sending a tingling sensation from an earlobe of mine, "I might like that too much, Roderick. Try harder, I have standards you know!" I smirked unable to quell an ever burning fire to have her choke helplessly, if she'd imagined to dare in keeping up a pace I'd set. Warfare hardened those to ignore pain, to tolerate it and eventually weaponize it to such a degree where many inferior's back were grudgingly sufficient to endure.

Pulling away I shrewdly gave her an ample warning to be prepared for a rural hike, "Pack enough liquid to hydrate for your pitiful fate. If I have to carry your unconscious flesh down a mountain, I'll severely be disappointed in you." She raised both eyes incredibly to mockingly taunt me as though I were a mere inferior, "Big words for an asshole! I hope you knock me off my feet, I'll probably like getting carried...if it's just you and I, Roderick."

My expression never lost pride to only nod before I turned around smiling widely. _It's far too easy to get her alone, if only I worked to achieve a mission so easily. Nonetheless be prepared Carol Marcus, I don't intend to show mercy for anyone, especially you. _The day had turned flauntingly pleasant since I succeeded in my intentions to drive away all potential hindrances, I still had one more confidant of hers to settle future assumptions. Overall I couldn't be more pleased because everything was going to plan exactly I'd intended.

* * *

_I opened both eyes tiredly in seeing a sun striking past as morning arrived, after a previous night of intense discussions. Blue open skies greeted me overhanging an entire city slowly rebuilding itself, I looked fondly upon seeing metallic machinery, in making a people worthy of beauty once again. Marble like structures christened by those who'd blessed it personally, an act worthy of securing faith. Scores of engineers educated of our local stock stood arising above to retain glory of pride, passion, and giving life to a nation mending itself after decades of war. My long awaited arrival to take up reigns of a fractured leadership, once I'd been granted authority to rule over it as per ancestral right of blood._

_Months of oversight to constantly micromanage every piece of resource to maximize all aspects resulted of a soon to be forgotten degenerate depression. I smiled warmly pleased in seeing fruits of labor finally revealing themselves, "Father's promise did come true for those worthy." Months of bloodied campaign to liberate occupied territories, months of countless slaughter of enemies and as a result I sat within the city's tallest structure looking out over millions. But my task had only begun before I'd be able to rest soundly at all!_

_Even still since I'd last set foot upon the very soil I once been birthed upon, I missed seeing memories of a distant boy running innocently on streets. So much had changed once liberation was achieved, a personal feat and honour I never would relinquish until my grave marked me. Walking forward I came to a balcony to lean over staring absently seeing so much activity, progress and veins of life in those who were my subjects of lesser blood, they moved about with a passionate purpose. Pride alone made their lives beaming with grand optimism in a looming destiny long since snatched away. They understood, but I knew resting invited complacency so I had never stopped dreaming to attain our rightful fate._

_Unwilling I called out loudly when knocking came from behind lead into my personal quarters, "Enter!" There wasn't much of a pause until I smiled warmly happy to see an elder inferior who'd done a great service to both country, ruler and aspired to be a foundation of younger generations to mold at my behest. He nodded formally addressing causing me to laugh lightly due to finding it a bit unnecessary, "I feared you'd never awake Prince Singh. It's sorrowfully rare of you to sleep peacefully, may I ask what's ails you?"_

_I waved it off dismissively replying flippantly, "It's nothing! It's no more than what normally I must endure as per crowned prince of my father's province, Tiberius." Despite being physically weaker naturally, I'd always adhered to council of his specifically pertaining to philosophical subjects, or state considering his experience alone. I was raw talent alone which needed to be corrected rapidly, I'd say I was very capable of mistaking signs for danger. Outside battlefields I'd been woefully inept, I quickly saw merit in having those acting in my station suited effective bureaucratic policies, speaking to the masses and as result it'd been a boon to restore genuine stability._

_Bracing for an ever amused explanation he advised gently,"All men wisely speak truth when unprepared for what lives ahead of their path. Your father Khan Signh is equally ruthless and wise to have me tutor you." I growled lightly finding Khan's personal decisions sometimes frustrating to tolerate despite earning my place in battlefields, "He hounds me to do his bidding, if I cannot prove myself! As per what I contend with, I suspects others of my equal hiss in secret seek to harm me." I looked away growling loudly finding rage due to balled up fists._

_My fear which remained was due to what many perceived as just cause of suspicion, "Half-blood is what they say of my achievements! Tiberius it's a mockery of what they were born too, I'm no pure Augment who were crafted to become perfection, I wasn't born to be perfect! And as a result I come from inferior flesh to aspire as Khan's greatest!" I ranted angrily trying to make sense of who I was internally of both mind and soul, I wasn't like those who were engineered to rule based on my digging into what Khan's people so different from my own._

_Tiberius remained silent forging an immediate answer to simply stare over a city as I had been doing. His face stern with rugged endurance from surviving a previous reign that see a once power nation craved into quadrants of merciless rape, pillaging and general inhumane subjugation! I never forgot my promise to those who were my family in this city, my home and my blood boiled to do more as I'd knew to far more capable. What else did I do, if not wallow in grief knowing I wasn't an Augment crafted to be naturally superior. By all rights of their ways including Khan who never stopped said rumors, I was an inferior to them all, I wasn't like them and they all knew to hiss rumors to cleanse their purity._

"_You fear you cannot surpass what was artificially created long ago in wars perpetually waged, Alexandrian." I lowered my head shameful of being read so easily, a far-cry when I'd endured brutal training and education at those who vindictively enjoyed cruelty. I remained resolved to support a man who I'd never have imagined to call father. He was what I dreamed to call, a father and family who took me in because my potential never died. Exhaling loudly I only replied humbly bitter, "Yes, I'm powerless being on Khan's furthermost most province."_

_The veteran adviser who'd survived to watch many things once beloved crushed into dust only reminded me stoically, "Powerlessness is only a sign of weakness and doubt in mere men, boy." My youth certainly accented a factual observation, "You're better then most! Wisdom is not only about intellect, for I've seen the most intelligent of men bumble over the most simplistic phenomenon because logic does not factor in human will." He recalled dimly amused seeing ghosts of a past, if not bitterly due to such old ways falling prey to those who held hatred over reason to invade. I already made so, it'd cost them dearly._

"_Alexander is your very birth name, why because your blood is in our soil." Tiberius stated without hesitation to make me look over stunned, "Names are purposeful and have a meaning to them, boy. They are what any given man seeks to strive for that ancestral destiny he's adhered too, in which mere man fail and falter as though it were meaningless. Your own existence is a powerful name of purpose, I was younger and far more naive, when I saw your mother and father cherish a son underneath rubble despite being exiled out of their loose royal station." Another bitterness filled my heart to have me know I'd had birth parents of inferior stock, I knew all other Augments found it repulsive and never shied away to remind me vindictively._

_I scoffed already knowing of their deaths since I was never aware of them, "What good it did them, Tiberius." I lividly flung my hand to have it crushed through fragile stone nearby, "Just like inferior's who cannot hold themselves up to stand against fate! They died as failed, exiled and utterly irrelevant sovereigns! They who'd allowed my home to become a hellish land, I lost my brothers and sisters who always looked to me to get them through another week, I never wanted it for all their genuine cherishing natures...it killed them. I killed them because of my actions, I can never let them go!"_

_Liquid freely poured down as tears freshly stun old wounds which never seemingly healed. Tiberius grimly corrected a lesser known fact, "Betrayal of those who supposedly are loyal to state, to nationhood and our own blood is what got them killed, Alexander." He referenced my original name ever confidently to always take strength of ancestral purpose, "You are Alexandrian Signh if not in name, but in purpose to do what a man who isn't your father proud of successful ascension. So use your identity to forge an ever greater destiny, so we can always strive to go forward, I can see why you hold yourself so hard and I know as a result we'll never falter as a crowned prince is an idol, of men and fate itself."_

_I snorted in favor to only sardonically sneer to question, "And how can a half blood belonging to neither world seek that answer?" Tiberius simply chuckled to easily reply finding my tone joyful, "Why simply ascend above both inferior, augment and make your identity to become greater! If anything Khan Signh's brethren suffer not from ego, morals or even arrogance since they are rightful to be superior to us all. But it is their pride that will force them to crave **your** presence, to bend a knee to one such as you wouldn't be accepted, so they'd have to follow your will to logically feel to become greater, if only to further feed that pride of men."_

_My eyes rolls rolled trying desperately to not relieve a fool's gambit again, "Alexandrian Signh the half blood, Prince-Ascendant of a kingdom of rubble and utter waste!" I shook my head walking away from an elder man who only chortled, "Far more unbelievable events can happen, Prince Signh. Believe me some are so radically disturbing, it'll often put faith in your heart knowing you're only sane, I stand true to that reasoning and that is something you can never lose. I have faith in you to be not just not a good man, a grand prince but a futurre king of those who'll follow you, not out of fear but of love to them because in history as I've taught you, a great kings know how to love those who hate them...most."_

_Immediately I froze in place to seething bite out words I'd live to regret, "Then God and I have a very long conversation to have, if anything." My adviser solemnly shook his head gently to again correct me soundly, "It is not a subject of enemy, God or people, my prince. Love is only a gift God grants us rightfully because it's the most hated of emotions, so few understand it's illogical process. It's not something easily discovered, obtained and I fear fewer experience it to realize who strong a bond is of holy grace. Never forget who hates you most, they hate you because you're above them and you chose to love them due to a heart that refuses to shatter as a young boy did years ago, Alexandrian Signh."_

* * *

Solid darkness concealed my overcoat as an interior hood folded over masking a face partially. I'd been standing patiently for possibly an hour, or so after spending half an evening stalking the intended objective to be curbed. _You made a mistake today by involving yourself in my target, child. _I smiled shrewdly while a hand idly tapped against the portable device guaranteeing anonymity, swift success and perfected purpose to enact upon inferior piss-ants. I had multiple expectations to uphold, an exciting prospect in hindsight.

Standing underneath foliage on an estate which belonged to a wealthy bureaucratic family entrenched in their ways. Wind only softly caressed exposed flesh when I proceeded to watch a vehicle pull past myself. I followed keenly seeing individuals making their way out of it. They were a mixed stupor of inhibited inferior's as one bellowed out holding a near empty glass, "Forgot that bitch, Zach!" I knew all too knowingly who they'd referenced to quietly chortle in mirth. I desired to initiate what I couldn't afford in public setting, so I'd prematurely solve it outside of wandering eyes.

Another got the prioritized inferior who shoved him away briefly, "Yeah I hear ya, she's a cunt!" The son of an admiral whose influence would send ripples to hastily seek out answers, "If she wants to play games in that smug prick's world, I say let it happen!" Their intended words only made an admiral's son scathingly agree, "Can't look out for women who learn the hard way! Guys got balls to think I wouldn't put his ass on the ground. Hell I can't believe I fell for it, bastard's smart enough to make him tougher in front a girl whose utterly brain dead."

That assumption only served myself to earnestly take every movement sweetly deliberate to enjoy it's entirety. _You'll learn the same lesson as her, boy. Monsters always appear whenever temptation is made of them to come calling. _Looking over I felt a small box hitched underneath an overcoat's interior, I had enough tools to commence an immediate cleansing. Syringes filled in thick liquids meant to kill several dozen over, a solution which reacted terribly to enhance alcohol just so to clog an inferior's throat, a simply acquisition courtesy of workplace and I personally had an invention to field test.

Pulling out an orb like object I activated a mere switch which turned the passive yellow into an eerie green coloration. A faint hum trickled when my own flesh tingled expectantly, "Old technology refined by those of the past, to forge perfection in our present era." Surveillance systems due to wealth amounting to an obstacle of cameras. I'd been careful to understand they were a given detail, I saw few on the exterior perimeter, so it was assumed most were built within a structure's interior. I patiently stalked three inferiors who disappeared behind a main doorway.

Casually back away to blend further in darkness beneath personally grown trees, I moved purposely to see to my test. An orb similar to one I held in hand seemingly scanned with a bluish light consistently. _Enhanced details to view images on a three hundred sixty degree angle are indeed worthy inventions, but machines can be fooled by signals interrupting beneath a solid object. Echo location is quite a theory, least in emitting electronic frequencies to assure anyone to be alone in their home, or so they'd believe! _Chortling softly since it was a simple device designed for emotion did both legs sweep me past in consistently testing a camera, I paused momentarily in allowing it scanning diligently for it to remain fooled.

Pleased I whispered coldly pleased to see an old tactic fool those blinded by technological wonder,"I have not been idle since being chained in your prison, admiral." Khan and I may have been separated by a vast distance yet our ingenuity to overcome inferior limitations proved, we'd do so. My father had theorized of an idea, I enacted upon said theory and slowly accumulated materials salvaged in a prison which gave me liberating salvation! Inferior's were bound by shallow minds naturally, but as an Ascendant, I'd only crushed all those limits of mere men!

Coming to stand underneath an open balcony leading just above a floor meant for natural views of beauty. Glancing over I smirked to back up exactly ten steps, if anything it kept physical feats sharpened and utterly enjoyable. _Now, shall we begin? _I sprinted snarling lowly pushing my body and focusing all effort to jump on a lower edge. Rapidly bending both knees I leaped upwards soaring through air and distance no mere man could do, I quickly reached out in latching onto two metallic black bars.

Gracefully I pulled myself upward while flipping over to lightly land on both feet and adjusted ruffled clothing appropriately. Standing upright a reflection of an undeniable shadow met my appraising gaze, I noticed two subtly gleaming orbs flickering savagely. _This brings back memories of a time when I stalked many into their homes, an art of subverted terror in which I saw numerous foes coping in rightful paranoia. I almost forgot this feeling of hunting down miscreants who'd dare to invoke my wrath, a good start since awakening._

The balcony's slight ajar door innocently reflected a commonly fatal mistake many made within sanctuary of homes. Sliding past to not make even slight noise, I strode forward into a darkened room which ironically wasn't my intended objective's quarters. It had be a guestroom of sorts, "Perhaps patience for one to sleep in their bed is...a wiser choice." I mused lowly to only gleeful accept a personal wager of expectation. Those drowning themselves in alcoholic stupors often proved far simpler to predict, or rather anticipate seeking out an easier rest.

Inspecting an entire room proved to be ideally sound for my eventual strike. The bed itself had an overhanging canvas supported by metallic poles designed with rather mundane symbols, I eyed underneath to simply await and contend with an occupant. But I eyed a dresser flanked by mirrors while perpendicular to another door, I honed in to ease it open quietly. _Ah, a walk-in closest for guests to merely hang their belongings, or for events pertaining to dinner no doubt! Perfect for blending in to eye an over the entire room, such a rare treat I cannot help to oblige my hosts._

The gamble only would be sweeter to relief, if only a fortunate soul wandered into an unseen kill-zone. Standing in utter darkness I watched familiarly silent, still and ever alert to see moonlight shifting through windows illuminating everything. I had plenty of time to leisurely pick apart inferior's who'd get a reckoning once word spread of unfortunate ends, it'd be amusing to see how they'd rationalize their deaths in public view. _An admiral's son of star-fleet, his close confidants and to see Marcus himself grow so paranoid, it'd be a mistake to not proceed. Be thankful your meager lives serve a greater purpose for my people's freedom, inferiors._

Time seemingly trickled by since I never moved from a place effectively remaining what many called myself in the past. _Phantom, a ghost and the monster. _It'd be worthwhile to see those who'd taken upon my titles, a series of feats proving to my father and those doubtful of my skills in equal measures of prideful approval. I never forgot what I accomplished within a world bathed in warfare, I never let go of what made me lose everything and I would never dare to imagine I lost it all again with enforced exile. Nothing remained of a past I ruthlessly strove to build for this world's future, I gave everything time and time again only to be scorned.

_I gave everything for a dream to achieve an ambitious destiny none dared to imagine. _My smile slipped to curl downward into an ever naturally inclined disgusted scowl. Lightly fingering a technological orb which in theory could've safeguarded those who were wise enough to realize it's potential. An old remnant from their history, to have ignorance prevail over a future of pacified instinct and to say reason itself is their goal was but pitiful blindness. I never considered inferiors who were my subjects, my purpose and goal to be hopeless to not learn.

_But these who've mastered the world through misguided compassion, to deny what makes blood stir in war! To push men further beyond limits of believed capacity, to mold them into stronger minds of action and reason, to inevitably learn about themselves to do what's necessary. _Old lessons from another time seemingly drifted back into my conscious, I only scowled angrily in response. If those who'd once considered me their hope for a future, to do better than mere men could see this era of absolute fallacy hadn't crossed my mind. _And ironically, it's to be considered immoral to merely criticize their so called enlightened unified collective._

I whispered quietly finding it all so bitterly opposite of what I envisioned, "Hypocrisy." Yet I looked up merely as an overtly inhibited laugh greeted all too eager ears. My scowl faded into a pleased grin when footsteps loudly, muffled and uncoordinated came from some man's laughing, "Thanks for letting us crash for the night here Zach. My old man would whip my ass if he knew I'd drive home utterly smashed. I know that bitch said things that stung and all, but we'll get over it tomorrow so thanks again!"

The prioritized objective didn't respond immediately since they were outside a very room ominously unaware of what lurked within. But his sour voice said enough, "She's fucking with a guy whose going to twist her up so bad. I can't even imagine what will happen! If his mental games fuck her up, god it'll be bad because she's already up there! I know for sure it's god damned fucking awful I swear, but shit...I don't want to think if he ever finds out about what happened to her mom, when we were kids."

They'd never realize how informative it'd been to at least give me pleasure of having to see them off. Information never ceased to inconvenience me when Carol's life I was, a rare talent and an utter flattering boon to my mission's parameters. _Still it's rather interesting to not see a wife, or rather curiously a mother who isn't alive presently. I wonder, if it's why the admiral is so invested to shadow us due to personal...guilt. _Nonetheless I pushed aside those thoughts for another time which it'd be useful to act upon on a later date.

"Don't sweat it Zach, she'll learn like always, way too late." Another man commented knowingly before yawning loudly, "Well gentleman I'm off to sleep! Enjoy your beds, I know I will!" Laughter circulated briefly as the prioritized inferior groaned, "Bathroom's down the hall and I'll be in my room in the other wing, so don't piss the bed's again. I thought you were housebroken, I got grilled for weeks from my old man about proper 'images' of us maintaining, if word ever got out!" He exhaled tiredly making his confidants chuckle shamelessly not ever realizing I agreed ironically with an elder who took purpose modestly important.

One of them cheekily quipped, "No promises, sir!" They laughed together before parting ways as I grinned predatory in seeing a door open. Light briefly shinned once I saw a disheveled youth stretched yawning loudly. He threw an overcoat onto a nearby desk before sitting down to kick off shoes, I gauged silently and calculative seeing him lean back. It took several minutes of removing pants, belt, an under shirt and a plain black tie all to be thrown into some crude pile. He never once looked towards a corner where eyes gleamed internally amused.

He looked towards a window grinning in seeing the full Luna cycle on display. It seemed fitting in retrospect to enjoy what little time he had left among the living. Rarely I'd allow leniency, but again I'd humor for it was indeed a beautiful night. About five minutes later roughly given how I surreptitiously opened a small container to twist the weapon of choice. Feeling cool hardened plastic and glass, I only slipped two fingers in a syringe gleaming ominously once moonlight hit it. I polished every single weapon to meet standards of someone of my achievements.

_They'll never realize how much they set themselves up to be disgraced, if to be remembered for injecting common drugs while inhibited. _It wasn't too difficult to acquire basic compounds for alcoholic appearances since the sheer volume alone was fatal. Poisoning with what many knew they'd done out of habit, a common mistake and adding several faintly detectable known illegal substances served to provide an image of youthful ignorance. Flawless since any obvious needle entry would heal over a night, reasonably or so when they'd depart blissfully horrified.

Inevitably forces which afflicted his inferior mind began to naturally try to cope against. His eyes shut as comfort overtook senses to pass on into sleep. I waited patiently grinning for several more minutes to see him breath methodically. _And so begins a night to savor, too easy. _Lightly pushing the door aside holding it firmly to make very little noise, I moved purposely quiet to look down over a youth who'd never awaken again. Or rather if he didn't wish for the monster who towered predatory to see satisfaction arise in literal centuries.

Slightly testing an injection I saw two droplets slid innocently down a sharpened needle point. Contently satisfied I glanced down grinning before I whispering coldly, "Now...shall we begin?" I snarled utterly vindictive clamping down on his mouth crushing any reflexive scream and struck a needle into his neck. His eyes opened to scream in utterly terrified, immensely shocked and probably believed he'd awakened to a literal nightmare that was smiling down hungrily gleeful. I never resisted to shrewdly request something in his final moments.

Leaning forward when his feeble arms tried pushing myself off I shushed him speaking pleasantly friendly, "Please go to sleep! I adore _quiet _nights." An overpowering volume of chemical reactions caused his eyes to roll as he fell back shallowly breathing. Flesh started to turn slightly blue as limp arms fell harmlessly aside, chortling rather contentedly I settled on leaving him hanging partially over a bed. In less than a few hours he'd pass on without any soul thinking more, a disgraceful death by their own supposed actions.

Turning around I casually opened the doorway shifting syringes to keep one readily. My improved mood certainly aided when bright light innocently revealed another inferior's location. Back against an entire wall I crouched to prowl step by step, I heard a groan of relief and watery details to raise an eyebrow bemusedly. _Ah, I see! Another common side effect of drinking too much liquid, a fitting end to drown in your own urine. And it's simply me rewarding you a fate of your own choosing!_

Purposefully come to stand partially out of a solid whitish light I heard him moan groggily. It seemed he'd awoken far too suddenly to be utterly unaware of most details. Seeing a mirror ominously revealing his naked back did I smile approvingly. _Never turn your back in a place where anything can happen, child. You might not live again to correct it, but not in this life! _I tensed up to suddenly sprint storming past an entire doorway to lash out an arm.

It wrapped up covering his entire mouth as I pulled upwards off his feet while injecting a syringe into an exposed neck. He screamed muffled when flailing drunkenly unable to see who, or understand what had happened. I held him firmly to see effects overriding natural defenses, I whispered all too knowingly friendly once he went limp, "Please go to sleep." I angled my legs so yellowish liquid pooled off to side harmlessly not staining clothing I'd taken great effort to keep immaculate and suitably of finer quality.

Setting him down I only watched pleased to have him roll over to partially inhale urinal particles as both eyes shut. As previously I waited seeing shallow breathing and flesh turning an unhealthy blue signifying a fitting demise. I left him to drown humiliatingly slumped over near a toilet where it'd be discovered to have never flushed. All too common signs of overdosing on illegal substances, if anything it gave authentic creditably to even experienced individuals who'd have detected something amiss if everything were too clean.

Walking out leisurely I switched to my final syringe carefully making little noise when proceeding along an opposite hallway. It lead across to where the final and most savored inferior would get to meet our maker. _I've forgotten how rewarding this sensation is truly, a welcomed familiarity since being in stasis for centuries. But compared to the past I'd endured, I must say it's far too demeaning to take pride tonight for warming up to my true mission's objective._

Turning around a corner I witnessed it lead up to far more decorative double doorways. There were family crests on centered on each individual door, a sign of those who took themselves with dignity and for a youth it'd been traditionally the sign of responsibility. Yet like all who fell into complacency it was left ajar for inviting catastrophe. And it was walking right to him with all eagerness of those who'd invoked it flippantly. The signs of weakened understanding of both mind, body and soul in a world reasoned to abolish it.

Easing my pace I came onto an angle revealing a youth again back turned to the entrance. He was hunched over hands folded looking up to see the full moon. He seemingly exhaled loudly to stand up going to stand out overlooking a vast estate, I saw distant trees with an almost shining pond reflecting lunar light and in hearing a sudden gust of wind. When those inhibited by their own liquor couldn't resist trying to clear their mind to ponder, reflect and ultimately become ignorant of their surroundings. I found myself relatively keen to do similar habits, if only to never be caught unaware of those who'd sought out my life centuries ago.

Gauging to appraise distance I lightly pushed the ajar door aside quietly keeping pressure from alerting to what stalked afoot. Brushing past smooth wood carved from oak by hands whose skills, growth and produced never would be revered for undeniable prideful recognition. _Such wasted talent to those born into wealth, to never be shared and given to those who'd deserve it entirely. Producing such artful creations is a feat I'd never allow to not be praised, I'd have sought those willing to learn such a trade and masterfully dedicate themselves passionate about nullifying such a rarity, a priceless mind many have squandered._

Deliberately bypassing a bed I noticed an idle communicator where it had Carol's face and numerical values underneath it. This youth while inferior held enough fortitude to stick by assumptions which were all entirely accurate, or rather close enough. _You should have pretended to ignore me, boy. But your instinct is impeccably precise, a shame you'd not be allowed to live to hone it one day and regretfully it's wasteful. But my ambitions are nothing less, but absolutely priceless when I dared to dream so long ago._

Standing fully when I stood directly behind silently waiting savoring every detail and I grinned seeing him lean forward. His bowed in utter thought deliberating whether to apologize, or reaffirm to contact to not relent. I expectantly found myself curious when he muttered tiredly, "Damn it, Carol." I heard him groaned exhaustively finding it mentally straining to cope with someone considered a friend from childhood, "Fuck I hate it when you're right! I guess I was a dick today, nothing new! I try and you hate it when someone looks out for you."

Subtly I took several steps closer taking considerably effort to avoid peripherals when he'd look up over a beautiful landscape. Beneath my overcoat which lightly swished due to another gust of wind blowing gently to obscure sound, I smiled familiarly as I kept tracing circular motions on its cylinder payload awaiting an ideal opportunity. It often fascinated how much those who believed themselves to be secured in privacy, comfort and overconfidence of safety to reveal what they themselves would never say in public. An aspect I'd agreed upon, if only to avoid scrutiny whenever private lives tended to rear themselves spectacularly.

His lowered one final time lamentably out of sheer ego, "Still could kick Harrison's ass, I'd get him good! Smart ass just likes to think he's some type of bad ass..." As his self-induced rant kept going did he start to turn and within scant seconds I'd remember every little detail. Two brown eyes went utterly wide whilst words died immediately in mid thought, I sprinted forward easily covering distance and my hand became a vice of steel. I uplifted him to dangle a good solid meter off a balcony's gravel like floor to hold him up.

Due to my grip which centered on locking a jaw he still sputtered out disbelief, "God, who...hell?" His entire frame only partially obscured a smiling expression where eyes glittered eerily as I inclined a greeting, "You'll end up seeing one, or the other." His expression went from utterly terrified to outright catatonic when blood fled reddening flesh. I brought a syringe to only nimbly inject it thus securing my objective and in utilizing his life's only meaningful purpose.

Still capably using the same limb I placed a tool securing it in place to only personally watch an inferior's demise in centuries. The moon shined bright behind providing me ample cover with my overcoat's confined hood, "Please...why?" He struggled admirably to slur out words to which I revealed all too kindly, "Because you were right, boy." If only he'd been smarter to realize exactly why I sounded familiar yet due to his declining conciseness, I reasoned savoring it only proved to be pitiful in hindsight. So I enacted a rather informative action to showcase exactly why, a reason why his death was unintentionally invoked.

He weakly gurgled granting him a considerable will briefly, "What?" I only tilted my head smiling pleasantly to allow moonlight to reveal eyes. Two eyes struggled to go wide in midst of chemicals overloading his inferior brain, I whispered very vindictively bemused, "Go to sleep." I leaned forward just enough to have him hear a low chuckling, "I'll keep an eye out for Carol for you boy! I'll grant you that much since you've done me a splendid purpose in parting information. Consider it an act of mercy, since I don't do it often."

Both eyes finally closed when he'd gone limp to shallowly breath in beginning a body's process of natural coping. He'd cease breathing within an hour, or two like his fellow confidants who'd been unfortunate consolations of casualty. Lightly using both arms I carried him over to settle on a bed being considerably careful, "You _won't _die in a place you call home, boy." I promised somewhat bitterly to ease him as I lightly nudged a communicator to give the most falsified impression of youth feeling depressed over friendships.

Standing over a soon to be corpse I genuinely frowned due to seeing Carol Marcus's smiling expression looking back. She seemed to only have been an adult, if that pictured had been taken. It wasn't a smile forced, or remotely genuine because I recognized said act of deception. It was that damned smile of lost innocence in trying terribly to hide what pain lay within such maintained charming beautiful features. Now without a doubt I frowned deeply finding it far too familiar, I almost saw a ghostly memory arise yet I snorted lowly in eventually to turn around walking out rigidly.

_Why do you always have to inconvenience me, woman? _I thought only sourly to vacate a premises to prepare for an eventual rendezvous with her tomorrow. I never looked back all knowingly in seeing an eventuality play itself out. Within days of not hearing communication from these three, I'd expect an almost grieved slew of inferior's desperately trying to deny it. They weren't killed by their hands, I stained mine so much it wasn't worth musing over. Too many died long ago for me to care about whether it seemed relevant anymore.

Walking past eerily silent rooms I refused to look at soon to be dead men. No one would ever know why, or how they met their demises by crossing paths with something few couldn't fathom. What kind of monster walked among them? I only smiled faintly coming to an initial to vacate the way I gained entry, I only slid over with a hand bracing myself and softly grunted due to gravity. I adjusted my clothing still keeping my successful device activated, I'd keep it until I was long gone from the latest graveyard of causalities. But I answered my own question to softly laugh, "Those who tempt monsters find out we don't forget, who did and we come to collect our dues."

**End Chapter III**

**Author's Note:** Before anyone gets alarmed, it's a fictional realistic 'what-if' story, plus I'm fairly sure I was pulling stuff out of my ass in describing Roderick's planning and how he did it. But it's also to serve a stark contrast of what you see, how he's a paradoxical character himself. He's not some perfect man, I mean sure he's stronger and smarter (relatively) then average people in the Trek-Verse, but I kind of doubt he's not without serious flaws. I only have to reference Khan in the movies to somewhat assume, if they ever get angry or livid, it's not entirely impossible to revert to what makes us beings of blood and instinct. Yet I wanted to get to the more interesting past of Roderick (Alexandrian) when you see in the prologue.

Based on what I've read, the Augments (Khan) were engineered and grown to be the perfected humane species for a better lack of a goal? This leads me to the what-if, because it's all due to the Prime/Alternate Reality in which time disruption is not known to diverge events entirely. Sure in theory, the present era in which (Nero) arrived and essentially created the Alternative Reality due to his arrival. We all know what happened, so the future is forever changing and whatever happens is basically new territory, so I've wondered just how _far _does time ripple whenever a breach is made in an age and not effect past events, just a tiny bit to where it creates the point we seen in this story.

But taking in place of the Alternate reality, I guess anything can do as far as I'm concerned. But more importantly, I wanted to ask if anyone noticed some odd peculiar details between the man you see now, or in the past already. That's my personal interpretation of the Augments acting more humane with internal disputes, if anything they were rulers according to them, the lore or loosely considered war-lords I'd guess. Which is what lead to our characters existence, why does he call himself, or those of Khan's people...Ascendants? Reason is pride, they refused to be lower to someone who started achieving feats, accomplishments and had enough will to endure even their brutal standards.

Which leads to an interesting question I'd ask, if you were an Ascendant being...isn't that far more grander than being augmented? There's a lot more behind the scenes when it comes to imagination, in this case you take cliches and give them just enough of a unique spin to make it different. Only thing I fear is whether I actually made this cold bastard scarier than Khan, I hope not because both versions equally terrify me for various reasons. I do NOT write horror stories intentionally, if I do it's often an unintended one...so if anyone is scared which I'll doubt, please just remember it's a fictional story. Other than that, I had a fun time writing the interactions between Carol and Alexandrian, it's certainly unique how it pans out.

Nonetheless, leave a review and I'll keep on going because it's certainly worth it.


	5. Chapter IV

**Star Trek**

**The Prince of Fire**

**Chapter IV**

The forest's remarkable natural beauty stood out far more prominently when moving underneath shaded foliage. Last night's venture in eliminating possible interference turned out flawlessly expected, I'd doubt we'd get word until our eventual return to a workplace of startled inferiors. So it left me to inevitably prepare for ample resources needed to effectively safeguard, or rather entertain a possibility in keeping my target hydrated. But an expected circumstance arose when arriving in front of the home of Carol Marcus.

She'd been readily prepared with an adequate amount of water, food and an impressive array of decent quality hiking material. What she excelled in obtaining ranged from a comfortable tent capable to hold two occupants, a portable lamp and several layers of thermal blankets. I'd been far more attuned to utilizing natural elements on familiar infiltration missions, to carry an entire groups of items that were practical and easily kept light for maximum speed to traverse long distances. I had an array of high concentrated protein ration bars, a metallic flint fire starter and two galleons of water stored inside a far larger pack meant for impromptu rest.

Although I carried a meagerly sharpened knife meant for medical triage, if Carol managed to splinter or even sprain limbs all too knowingly. Overall we'd be in little danger to lose our way, I'd certainly hadn't not imagined she'd forget communicators for emergency purposes. And that wasn't even factoring in fishing line where I intended to procure wild game, if hunger proved to be meaningful to not earn a right to be feed naturally. Assured I calculatingly gauged it wasn't entirely inefficient yet there could have been far worse situations to be had.

The drive had gone rather predictably with acceleration becoming prudently demanded as Carol's insufferable smile refused to die. Conversation mainly remained suitable with attempts of her pitiful curiosity trying to worm out details, or probe for personal insights. I'd been more, or less indifferent choosing words far more carefully ever since discovering my target had an unfathomable ability to surprise me. For all intensive purposes I managed to lose myself inspecting wild flora, or listening to wildlife which still endured centuries when they'd been on cusps of extinction. It indomitably showed presently a few inferiors, or some still cared about their pasts.

An eager question from Carol brought me grudgingly to listen, "How long do you think we have until it's dusk?" Her lack of survival techniques were a sign it'd be common to hear mundane requests. Justifiably to become mildly irritated, I only glanced up by partially obscuring the sun itself to accurate assess, "Five hours." Whether she believed me in a rightful prediction of certainty, I only wondered if her cognitive reasoning failed. It was another attempt to probe why I seemed comfortably aloof, a pitiful attempt again due to the fact her communicator held time precisely and asking me signified deliberate action.

"Good thing you floored it out here, I'm shocked you weren't pulled over." She laughed animatedly impressed when I walked past moving upwards onto an a gravel based path. It lead to an overview on a sign along predetermined pathways, "Highly unlikely they'd catch me." I commented absently in favor to proceed on a gravel like path to get to higher ground. I wanted to get vantage point to overlook an entire clearing below, or gauge how long these hiking paths ventured towards a looming mountain distantly.

Carol remarkably kept up pace in favor to smile widely, "You really have to be a street racer to pull that off." I eyed my target peripherally to remain silent as we reached a hill's peak, I certainly found it far more tolerable to bask in a preserved natural environment. Gentle wind pleasantly pushed cooler air as opposed to a stale urbanized area. It definitely seemed far more welcoming when most places these inferior's prioritized were rare, or less so kept well maintained. It brought me towards centuries ago, I cultivated natural beauty to blend it within my own nation's image.

Birds flew on occasion lacking any obvious signs of fearful cries from predatory animals prowling in these forests. Rare as they were I'd have considerable difficulty in spotting one, if anything this was probably one of the most carefully maintained biospheres by far. _It's just another reminder of what failure's consequences do to mock me, I'd have done more to correct this travesty of grave realization to preserve our people's ancestral environment. _Quietly taking in details of an entire forest, I remained impassive taking in numerous details to seemingly become comfortable given by Carol's irrelevant inquiry.

"You like it outside cities, don't you?" I smirked placidly trying to avoid temptation by only humoring said assumption, "They each hold clear dangers for your sake, Carol." She seemingly huffed bemused finding my warning as a provocation even if her ignorance made it sound endearing. Being within peripheral vision I saw a smirk boldly appear, "Good thing I like dangers that keep me on my toes, Roderick. Never pictured you to be scared of a big, bad and dark forests full of things wanting to get at you."

Tilting my head in favor to a sinister smirk. I only replied back simply, "Oh really?" Her expression struggled to remain confident when I only pointed out a little known fact, "You'd be surprised what could be so close to get you once the sun sets." My eyes drifted upwards to seemingly put her at ease to remind her ever so diligently, "But there's plenty of light for things to go wrong for you, Carol. Try not to think too hard, I'd be impressed if you'd get it."

There was a look of amusement as I glanced away in favor to enjoy a pleasant breeze. Due to an upper elevation it'd certainly felt appealing even when my target coyly implied, "I think I get it." She moved past to wave me forward enthusiastically, "Let's hop to it, Roderick. There's a place I've read about when I came here as a kid, I think the view will be totally worth it. If you can't keep up with me, I'll just go slow for you."

My eyebrow raised skeptically to only retort, "Be careful what you wish for Carol." If she managed to keep up after a mile, I'd consider adequately put for an inferior. Yet if that persisted to showcase her resolve, only then would I'd grudgingly admit she had some natural talent, at least for long distance endurance. Her naive sense of euthanasia only indicated an overconfidence, a rarity among inferiors which I'd have to gauge appropriately for a later date, if an order even came down from Khan's discretion alone.

We proceeded along a trail without much conversation on her part gratefully. I absently noticed a lack of artificial signs of civilization in favor to maintain a far more organic and traditional sense of hiking along rural areas. I found it slightly off putting whenever small resting benches were aligned just in shaded areas yet it wasn't too disconcerting. Yet I found myself in favor of blissful silence only to be broken by wild bird's, or occasional branches snapping from wind alone. A worthy effort to preserve natural beauty, if only it'd been honed centuries ago when those who were willing cared for such conversations in retrospect.

"You really seem different out here." Carol's observation ruined my attempt to enjoy solitude as I dryly praised, "Your deduction skills are utterly impeccable." We started angling downward towards a bend where an entire river gleamed innocently below, I noticed rapids further ahead out of sight and it considerably tempted me to utilize said natural resource. Glancing ahead where a trail tilted upwards sharply towards several false peaks indicated it'd been considerably preserved to have frequent travelers to have false confidence, a rarity of shrewd design and yet it still seemed too blatant considering signs indicated where to go.

Carol Marcos stayed within my peripherals as her smile knowing seemed to widen, "Why don't you go more into the outdoors, Roderick? You're really relaxed, so why work inside a city?" She genuinely had no idea considering I humored to retort, "I don't have a choice." Pushing slightly ahead to gain some distance I easily ascended over loose gravel as miraculously my target kept up without issue. I inwardly notice however her breathing increased a bit, "But one must make sacrifices to get their work completed, Carol. Just be aware I don't lose sight of what I have to get done, I consider it an ever assured route to attain any objective in my work."

The laughter next to me jokingly followed a question, "So does that mean I'm your objective?" I smiled coldly amused since I was dourly impressed she pieced it together through naive ignorance, "Yes." Her blond hair partially obscured a sly smirk, "And how important am I for you to attain?" My expression hard twitched save for a gaze glancing leisurely over to see her trying to feign disinterest. Instinctual experiences were honing in on an unseen opportunity, so I allowed myself to humor ignorance and got closer to stand just within hand's reach alone.

"Let's just say for your sake?" I stopped suddenly firmly having her face me eye to eye as I looked down smiling coldly amused, "Important enough." Carol went frozen mainly out of sheer shock when I moved past quietly bemused in having catching her off guard. It took several moments when her ability to breath and cognitively function prompt myself to ask casually, "Can we move it along? Daylight is possibly the most beneficent time I know barely you'll keep up, I don't intend to slow down for your sake or pretend I'll show you whose inferior, girl."

She smiled widely unexpectedly laughing lowly, "Big words asshole." Perhaps I'd miscalculated how ignorance fed into naive misunderstanding as her pace dramatically picked up. Her movement indicated energetic signs of adrenaline, bliss and determination to showcase something I'd rather not humor anymore than necessary. But an intended objective had been met when we proceeded without conversation for quite a while. I found it endearingly suitable to bask myself in nature's greatest of acts, to listen and observe unrestrained life itself.

I immensely found it tolerable to walk in blissful silence enjoying natural beauty alone. Birds seemingly started flying, or calling out socially. Gentle cool winds grew in frequency when ascending over onto higher elevations, I only had to sparingly drink liquid to cool myself and Carol equally met that pace ironically confident. _And all it took was several misplaced words, a naive ignorance to achieve solace to enjoy nature's cycles of life. I've missed simply walking through fruits of my effort, it's ironic this is the only place I feel remotely humane._

An ever sharply uphill battle took place between will and gravity as both of us went up trails. Absently I kept an eye on my target who started panting tiredly, if not excited in being pushed to walk where few happened to enjoy fully. We went over two false peaks before an inevitable outcome forced an inferior to call for rest. I found it adequately suitable since we possibly covered an entire mile, or more without any signs of petty complaints. I'd have to concede Carol Marcos took physical health extremely considerate given how many in this era wouldn't be able to hike long distances, so I'd have to settle on remaining to stand without exhaustion overlooking a valley's entirety.

"Beautiful." My voice had whispered a word silently in seeing sunlight striking edges of a valley to give an entire river system that sheen of natural awe. Birds of various species flew constantly from air, to foliage and onto forest floors in natural habits of vibrant life. _This is maybe the lone positive I've ever seen, a sign of misguided beliefs actively stumbling upon an actual worthy goal. If only they'd taken personal pride, strength and doing what is necessary to showcase that quality onto all aspects of their society. I'd probably only have to nudge, or criticize to maintain it properly in good standing and graces for their futures._

Drinking down cool liquid I exhaled lightly to settle on leaning back against an overt large boulder easing tension away. Carol sat on a lower cropping of rocks drinking water contently, "God, I haven't been up here in years. I've forgotten how beautiful it is up here, I missed it." She told me gently as though slipping into fonder memories. I agreed by conveying an astute opinion of mutual interest, "Indeed it is! It's a grave crime to lose what made a people who they are, I can safely assume you have a unique habit to continuously surprise me. It's both your greatest curse and blessing from what I've seen so far."

My target laughed loudly to beam slyly impressed, "Roderick Harrison? Am I hearing you right, or are you actually complimenting me?" I refused to drop a smirk of humor despite outward appearances, "And it only took a girl to find out, he's actually a boy scout." That joke hardly seemed to appease an ever colder temptation to destroy that notion. My silence made her giggle suddenly since she took it as a truthful fact which in reality, it'd been so far I only wanted to savor a day until I revealed how polarizing soldiers enacted missions upon targets for elimination.

Yet I managed to warily warm her playfully humoring, "It only takes a small push for gravity to show what I'm thinking, Carol." I eyed an ever looming peak where the trail disappeared over to continue upwards distantly. Her laughter grew in volume to only mockingly jeer, "Oh? Would you push a defenseless woman over an edge, or would you save me?" Her lack of understanding made this far too easily humored as I looked down grinning shrewdly tempted. Regretfully I reigned in on such opportunity to merely chortle quietly in self-reflection mainly.

"Soldiers are those who push people, Carol." I informed her knowingly from past experiences to look distantly bitter, "But rarely do heroes, who are the ones who try to save people." Her expression turned thoughtful for several moments digesting a little known fact. Soldiers and heroes were both one in the same, if not outright paradoxical existences since heroes themselves were fabricated to inhibit glory, honour and possibly self-respect to know they were killers of men. I was no exception because I never liked heroes since they were propagandized fallacious myths of ignorance, I only knew because I'd done such acts to do so.

Still she inevitably inquired genuinely curious, "So were you a soldier?" I laughed openly cold and mercilessly crushing any sign of truth, "Hardly girl, it'd be more accurate to say I'd consider myself far more than a soldier." Leaning over I picked up a stray stone contemplating to strike an exposed temple, or cranium's weak spot. It'd have been so easy, to just throw it quickly and utterly surprising her to see an expression of horrified realization when sent over a cliff's edge. But I suppressed all temptation to leisurely chuck it harmlessly over to allow gravity's force do it's purpose.

"What do you consider yourself, Carol?" I questioned to leisurely pick up pace to harmlessly throw stones and lose rocks to pass time, "Are you an innocent girl seeking more in life? Or are you desperately trying to escape what makes as a man throws stones in a glass home?" She looked at me stunned when I met her gaze knowingly stoic, an art to continuously prevailed in times of emotion and blind logical arrogance. It was a crucial ancient art many had oversaw, or underestimated because it seemed too distant to enact presently.

Carol Marcus turned away for once to bitterly remark, "Maybe both, or neither." I hummed loudly as though contemplating her words to merely point out, "Perhaps your smile isn't as warm, or kind as many would believe it. You're not _adept _enough to fool me girl, I know you didn't want to come here just for a _good _time to know somebody and a stranger as myself, no less." She didn't response for once in favor to stare over an entire valley in forced silence. I certainly found that habit very appealing to realize it'd show more in inferior's for self-reflection and self-respect to know loss, a critical lesson few never understood at all.

"You're such an asshole." Her comment stated factually resigned since I remained quiet in favor to calculate what exactly would be revealed, "I just...I want to make my peace with ghosts to finally move on, Roderick." My gaze sharply burned into her skull ever so shrewdly deducing it'd been a blend of past resolve, to find something in a future to say precisely. It certainly surprised me enough to where I'd inquire quietly intrigued, "And what ghosts of your past are you here to make peace with, Carol? Personal demons?"

The young woman laughed bitterly looking down to loosely kick stones off an edge. They tumbled clacking clumsily and loudly pronouncing their descent, "I want to escape being hounded by my father, my idiot self as a kid and try to find something...meaningful." Her voice cracked due to age old grief I'd long suspected from a mere photo masking painful understanding, "My mom said once, 'It's easy to be with anyone, but to find someone who makes you happy and treats you like a person...is so rare, but priceless.' Or, so she said to me when I was a lot dumber." She chuckled knowingly by shaking her head finding wisdom in someone I'd never expected entirely.

My gaze turned murderously livid almost so close to naturally enraged yet tightly compacted fists clenched to ease down raw fury of indignation. _You claim to seek meaning, or purpose in age of petty idealism as your belief's pinnacle of happiness? Don't make me disgusted Carol, I appreciate your attempt but that's utter insanity, if you can't understand your own past to make your present endow a future. _Slowly but surely I eased myself into a colder stoic mindset, a great effort I obliged in favor to simply walk towards her avoiding sheer temptation to kick her I managed to crouch down next to her evaluating options.

"Purpose and meaning in life are but mere words, Carol." Her eyes looked over when I met them unwavering to showcase a bemused sinister near smirk, "But actions will never fail to make those beliefs priceless. Do you even know what it's like to have that in your life, an yielding sense of drive and will to know what those _words _ever mean truly?" She shook heard inevitably confused by vague concepts that were intentionally meant to make a mind think internally, "But I have a purpose Carol, I'm looking at it everyday, to never forget and I'm not afraid to do what I must! All in order to have a priceless meaningful purpose for myself to achieve ambitions few dared to imagine."

I noticed movement to her furthermost side while resisting to snap a wrist as I felt her hand gently settle on my forearm. _Inferior's who touch me without permission, I've killed for less. _I rigidly ignored centuries honed instincts to maintain eye contact, "Can I ask why me?" I coldly chuckled finding it utterly innocent and also ideally genuine, "Because I have no choice, Carol. Whether you like it, or not but fate has a funny way to have us redeem ourselves for forces outside our control. I've simply accepted it, so I don't fear doing what's necessary." Her expression morphed from curiosity into a flustered uncertainty to look away despite a hand refusing to leave my own limb, I absently counted how many smaller bone's would have been broken, if I enacted will in crushing that smaller fragile limb though.

Her eyes briefly met mine as she shifted to come closer to lean into me. I hardly blinked when her voice cracked, "You're such an...asshole." I raised an eyebrow finding that crass insult hardly effective, "And you're an insecure little girl, so it's not us being deceitful." Again she looked at me briefly before doing an action I never expected. Her head leaned onto it's side to carefully, if not hesitantly place itself on my shoulder to stare out over an entire valley's natural beauty. I turned to it in favor to avoid feeling uneasily annoyed since it only served my ambitions, thankfully.

_It strikes me how surreal I find myself, I was once in your position centuries ago and walked on a path I perceived to be happiness. _Irony ruthlessly crushed all sympathy due to it's end result, an end to all what little I kept inside hopeful and optimistic for personal happiness. It never manifested into what I'd dared to place hope into, an irony of utterly disgusting and cold lesson I never forgot to let go because it cost me everything. I lost everything that I had bled, fought and command lives of those who had their future's on my decisions.

"God, I don't know what to believe." She finally relented as I smirked finding it somewhat sensible to imagine, "You'll find reason and faith to go hand in hand commonly." Her shaking indicated laughter barely suppressed yet I wasn't entirely being misguided to not believe such things. I felt a grip tighten considerably but made no mention to care, or humor in favor to look upwards gauging how much sunlight we'd have presently. _We've already wasted too much time, I've wasted enough humor to go about our destination._

Standing up I only uplifted her barely out of irritation to question dryly, "Didn't you wish to seek out a place few have gone too?" Her gaze held an almost surreal sense of kindness that I outright ignored by walking back turned, "Or are you going to be an insufferable child? I have some _mundane _grievances if you'd linger, so by all means lead the way...Carol." I never bothered to check behind in favor to push ahead all too eagerly, if not to get away from an irritating sense I'd be reliving past memories which hadn't dissipated in centuries. I inwardly prepared to realize they'd be returning sooner, or later to test my capacity all too knowingly.

Surprisingly she didn't respond verbally but instead adjusted a pack to walk past me smiling. There wasn't a sense of suspicion, or remote consideration to question anything I'd had said. Yet she held a smile radiating some strange surreal mixture of relief, or possibly eagerness that made little sense to myself personally. Inferior's never ceased to confound me, I rationally assumed she'd found inspiration to ignore what ghosts lingered in her memories. But at least we'd be able to continue our journey without hopeful interruption, I intended to at least humor what so called location she'd hinted to visit eventually.

As we got over another sharp incline did my target regain coherency to speak warmly amused, "Who knew underneath that cold and asshole exterior? Roderick Harrison actually has a conscious to help people." I never spoke again in favor to only smile behind her back utterly pleased, an ever so slightly misguided direction for Carol to never question a half truth. Fortune favored those bold, but those who were wise enough allowed fortune to favor fools until they'd spent it frivolously. I only chuckled lightly finding it all too easy, if anything she'd never realize what was standing behind her. I'd await that day all too happily just to reveal everything she'd ever known to be a lie, a lie so sweet and innocent it'd be worth every moment.

* * *

_I stormed past double barred doors furiously denying every urge to rant, scream and fling any inferior outside my reach. Hours of debates, days of anticipation and months of preparation were all overdone because of damned inferior's unable to see beyond their meager existences! I bit down grinding teeth to reach my private quarters where I slammed a door shut, I flung my cloak and lose paperwork lividly. I couldn't calm down as a fist slammed into granite wall, to crack both bone and stone equally enraged due to short sighted idiocy!_

"_They support their prince, they dare to say to be loyal but dare not endorse his policy, all to enact over his subjects?" I questioned rhetorically strained to laugh in a barking fit. It was all for naught, a sickening display of cowardice and utter contempt for change after being accustomed to peaceful endeavors for an entire year. Already forgotten what war did to them, to shield themselves underneath my feats and reputation, but all for what really? They'd rather stagnate into utter oblivion as I'd chosen critical families, individuals or even those who held merit to oblige my reign to further my nation into destiny's awaiting hands. Yet it was derailed because of mundane concerns._

_I stared bitterly over a completed city full of marble white structures, golden archways and banners of royal purple signifying my crest of rule. It'd been an entire year awaiting a time when choices had to be made in favor of war, survival or capitulation to be forgotten. And those who I held assured chose that later due to wishes of no longer enacting terrible pains on younger generations. I scoffed aloud finding it utterly repugnant, "Shelter those now, or forever become weak to those who hold no hesitation to bring the sword to your gates. Peace is only a respite, not a guarantee and I have to pretend to accept their decision's as wise, or just?"_

_I smashed my fists together cracking underneath strain when staring over an entire city full of inhabitants who were taking their first steps towards self-induced fate. Tiberius had railed against those notions venomously shrewd, he'd had foreseen such policy and left an entire room deadlocked with no gains, or loses. Political arrogance had yet taken root, but signs were already in place as inferior's grew accustomed to power they'd believed to be perpetually assigned. I only restrained myself barely because it'd been too soon, if anything to conduct purges when already millions were crying out to me in utter adoration on those street's below._

"_Wretched inferiors!" I cursed looking over an entire city finding it so lack luster, I almost felt bitter knowing barely two years ago it'd been rubble, "Khan humors their beliefs because he knows, as well I do they'll never change. To forever taunt me about ambitions too unrealistic, I should have killed them years ago when it'd been easier." I reflected sourly coming close to enacting a reign worthy to make them wish foreigners raped them in their homes. But I knew it wasn't time to enact steel so soon, it'd take time and time was utterly vexing to say kindly._

_Leaning back I sat down upon a single chair where partially read volumes of ancient texts lay tempting me to absorb. Tiberius keenly fed myself incriminates of knowledge to such an effective degree, I grudgingly accepted such lessons for power came at costs. Khan had approved after reviewing said education, if only finding it humorously challenging to use partial resources and was waging war further north in regions unable to be tamed. I'd been sent word, if he'd need of me then I'd respond with everything I built up, to aid him as per obediently and it was all in jeopardy due to humane fears of exposing younger generations to reality's cruel nature._

_Reaching over I crushed resentment in favor to begin an art long since forgotten. Texts written in a language either dead, or absolutely lost to history bared itself to my eager mind. I managed to find myself at peace in blissful solitude with an occasional bird call, or sounds of men constructing streets of finger quality around the vantage point I'd inhabited. Very few were not working, or contributing to both nation, state and God underneath my meticulously management. As a result the boom of prosperity continuously endured to garner jealousy, or envy from powers that were outside Khan's arising Imperium unexpectedly._

_Regarding change I quoted sourly finding it both factual and as a result damned frustrating, "Change: nothing inherently bad in the process, nothing inherently good in the result." I smiled fondly finding those words far too precise to be anything else, but honest predication of humane nature. Inferior's were ruled over by emotion, not by rational thought or even seemed close to understanding a crucial lesson I learned when as a child. Doing what is necessary will always be needed, to never utilize savagery and reason together. Without either in balance, even fools knew it'd spell disaster for those seeking to endure as a nation, one I'd ingrained to be forever destined to ascend jointly together._

_For several minutes I remained blissfully tasked to privacy until a knock at my personal chambers interrupted everything. Exhaling annoyed I only called out, "Enter!" I heard heavy thudded steps indicating it wasn't Tiberius, so I looked up frowning when a feminine voice formally apologized for an unexpected meeting. Placing my reading material down in favor to prepare for an assumed strike did someone who I hadn't met beforehand reveal, "Prince Singh, forgive me for interrupting you! But I must apologize for my father's actions at your summons earlier."_

_Based on tone alone I imagined what was only a soldier among many in my growing kingdom's armed services. I'd been intensely investing in rearming them proficiently, in molding training regimes and utterly revamping their entirety preparing for an inevitable clash of arms. To modernize them from rabble into professional machines who'd never stop, or unless commanded too. It'd been frustrating to contend with setbacks to finally ease away after an entire year, I'd felt somewhat amendable to test them in open warfare and finally see if my efforts proved fortunate. Khan had given me a timeline in order to achieve objectives for his grander conquests, I was all too willing in agreeing and never once stopped until I felt it was necessary to inform him._

"_Do I know your face?" I questioned harshly amused by so many inside a chamber where dozens upon dozens of established powers entrenched themselves. The woman hardly hesitated to reply strictly aggravated, "No, but everyone knows yours my prince." I only chuckled in response finding pleasure in making an inferior feel rightfully so, "Good! Perhaps there's a semblance of success after all, I was beginning to fear I'd been forgotten because of those who are damning themselves with indecisive natures to bring back an inevitable return of invaders...girl."_

_I heard a shape intake of breath resisting possibly an overt desire to damn me, "I'm not the one refusing to face one whose here to assist you, Prince Singh." Coldly I lifted a finger contemplating extreme action since she claimed to have a father against me, "And perhaps I should remain turned to see a skull be mounted to see what I will achieve, girl. Examples often inspire, or remind those they are not without consequence because a prince is growing tired of inferiors pretending they hold power, or strength over those above them entirely."_

_There was an uneasy pause lingering when I finally chuckled in breaking fear all too easily. I leaned back commanding this girl to either leave, or simply get on with her so called plea, "Speak up, or earn my disdain." I held little patience to reenact an already loose art I'd yet to prefect, or even remotely humor to put into constant practice. My blood boiled with unparalleled rage when I stared hardly and unyielding to see a city I'd brought back from the brink into unseen prosperity, only to be reminded why inferior's never ceased to disappoint me entirely._

"_Is this the truth behind our beloved idol, a hero to children and parents who'll never fail to support a ruler given everything?" The young girl demanded tensely seeing a facade that Augments were entirely keen to hone, I'd been trained personally by Khan and another whose sheer skill couldn't be matched naturally. I lifted my second finger to only musingly warn out of sheer humor, "That's two! One more mistake, is what I'll allow and then I'll have you understand when patience runs it's course, girl. Speak wisely if you wish to see your loving father again, or forever be among many who I've silenced to reach this point."_

_It seemed yet another inferior ceased to understand how simple it'd been, if only to mask what was already in plain sight. I heard her tone coldly insinuate lines closer to disobedience than actual concern, "It'd be wise of you, my prince to heed a subject's plea when there are those who will do stand beside you without question. Your soldiers are not silent, we are not blind and we are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure what has happened in our pasts, to never occur or we'd die trying to see our nation die again."_

_My hand dropped without doubt to only stand up as I asked simply, "And does the military's wisdom of those I've personally instructed, or educated? Do they fail to agree with their prince's will?" The girl took several steps closer before a thud reached my ears, an act of loyalty with their forearm braced against a breast with an enclosed fist reaching the shoulder. It was a rare display only meant for those who adhered to loyalty, faith and would never hesitate to carry out what be necessary to safeguard those unable to handle such responsibility._

"_No, Prince Singh." She proclaimed solely confident that foreseeing friction between state and military were to be expected had inevitably occurred, "We're no longer going to ignore signs of a cycle that lasted decades that saw my family, friends and loved ones be raped by those who sought our extinction. I volunteered since I am the daughter of my father, who is your obstacle and I will do whatever it is necessary to protect my sisters." I smiled utterly amused since I'd expected someone far more older, wiser and utterly confident yet this youthful girl was the most courageous to ask me? Irony seemed to enjoy misery, if I'd wager my soul on it._

_I still laughed cynically finding her very presence a mockery of what I'd aspired to create, "And you're the only one willing to enter my chambers? You're either foolish, a means to an end or insufferably naive to have me convinced." I remained focused on various people below who ventured into a newly constructed park where I saw smaller figures swinging innocently ignorant. Children who'd been born now would experience a never before seen dream, an almost opposite reality those born years earlier never believed real._

"_I volunteered to convey that a decree from your soldier's who stand ready to obey faithfully, to serve loyally for our family's survival, to march to keep us strong and always prepared to die for our nation my prince." The girl stated pridefully to seemingly be at attention awaiting commands, a series of commands I pondered to enact prematurely. I found myself torn whether to continue abiding time to eventually realize later, if words weren't capable to inspire or convey urgency, then I knew actions spoke far stronger to make my rule ordained as my right indicated._

_Instead of answering an unseen command heeded, I only asked for her name, "Who are you?" I still remained facing away stoically taking in various details of my people, a city and that tension whenever peace had been broken all too knowingly. I felt my heart beat strongly because I knew the time for reason, compassion and peace had ended to shift into what had to be done. If I didn't act then I knew that cycle of destruction repeated itself anew, I'd be responsible for tens of millions dying just like those before me of my ancestors, I would never see that day occur as I drew breath and I vowed to never fall into that path ever._

_My gaze hardly broke save for a subtle smirk forming, "Calliope Markos, second lieutenant of his majesty's first regiment of the internal guard." Among those in a newly reformed, modernizing and growing army I specifically chose one particular regiment for one value to adhere too above all else. Loyalty to people, country, God and myself to carry out tasks not because of skill, or talent. But of will alone to forever give them purpose unable to be taken, rescinded or even remotely to be torn away because it'd been a life long oath of service. Just one small number could do what many refused, or couldn't accept without doubt lingering inside their souls alone._

"_Are you prepared to carry out and accept your unit's first official operation?" I only inquired amused to have her sharply answer proudly, "Willing to die in life, or strike back from hell." It'd been too soon to say I shouldn't act yet time was against us all. Khan's aid took priority over petty grievances, fears or indecisive natures because others would step up to claim their rightful place. I only regretted knowing I'd have to spill blood within a year, but in hindsight it'd weed out those willing and those unable to shed aside their past weaknesses. It was just a shame I had to do what was necessary, so soon and quickly._

_I turned around folding both arms behind my back to smile pleasantly in seeing this girl refusing to flinch. My smile widely amused to see if she'd be able to test her mettle, if they wanted to see our people survive and secure our rightful destiny. This was the crucial first step in setting a grander stage, to grasp destiny by it's whims in defying expected outcomes, my nation and people would deny fate it's utter assurance that we'd fall into ruin. Destiny required will to surpass our pasts, a strong will required unflinching fortitude, absolute fortitude required sheer strength and strength needed absolute power to adhere it all together. _

_I understood what I represented, I knew why and I damned myself to never crumble! I was their pillar, I was their strength and I was their power above all else! Long ago Khan had said to me years ago on that damned street, it'd all be unimaginable to become something else above mere men. I was above men, I was above them all because I'd been molded to ascend past everything inferior's never sought to overcome. And as such naturally? There wasn't a doubt inside my resolve, I'd become everything more to them!_

"_What are you suggesting to safeguard your people, family and prince?" I inquired quietly to have the soldier smile gently as though it were an often asked question, "Anything, or everything, my prince." My head tilted curiously since I expected a far more lengthier explanation yet I pressured firmly to reaffirm this regiment's purpose, "Should I doubt those who loyal to me, to country and God because you aren't afraid to do what's necessary? Tell me, lieutenant Markos, why pray to grant your peers authority to exercise my commands? Especially when I'd be able to do it myself?"_

_The youth smiled widely putting me in a stunned disposition, "Because what greater meaning is there to not prove we can flourish underneath your rule, Prince Singh?" Her gaze looked out towards an entire city rebuilt from ash, rubble and death not even several years ago, "I was out on those streets, my prince. My father ran like most, I ran because I didn't know any better and we'd all been resigned to die underneath brutes who'd mix us into utter extinction. My mother was raped in that hell, I lost hope and then...you came with like an avenging angel from God, I remembered everyday bodies of foreigners who'd sated their hell's upon us strung up on poles every night."_

_I remained expressionless since when I'd returned with fury and vengeance, I'd hunted down those occupying my home. Not one official of military, or bureaucratic was spared from my hunting and purging for an entire year of subversive warfare. It was myself, a few other augments and inferiors who'd proven themselves to be valuable to keep alive. I expected many to fear my very being, I'd been proven right despite going so much selfless acts as sovereign, Khan never disapproved yet I knew he'd secretly found it pointless because he'd told me as such. But I refused to give in, to lose hope from those I'd been birthed as per my blood and I knew they had potential to do so much more, I felt inside within instincts._

"_I remembered adults had whispered about a monster lurking on those streets, my prince." Calliope Markos stated gently smiling to approach me ever so closer, "Some of us saw that monster as not evil, or even what many believed as inhumane. We saw our angel among us, our idol and a man who'd done everything to arise towards a place many of us younger dared to emulate. We are not afraid of you, or what has to be done to protect us all." I stared hard unable to detect lies, or misconceived in eyes of unparalleled raw determination. I was at a loss considering I'd never seen such emotional resolve in an inferior, ever._

_She lowered her gaze to bow formally seeking authorization to conduct a step many would perceive as tyrannical. Yet I saw without lies a spark of what I dared to envision, "We of the first regiment of your internal guard, as formally requested to have you order us, to conduct our mission to eliminate elements that cannot be allowed to remain." Two bright blue eyes with steel within made my expression turn into stunned realization. I tried endlessly to crush that fleeting inferior sensation of hope, I resisted until I finally asked whether I had missed such signs?_

"_Our actions will always emulate our words, my prince." She promised calmly to smile ever so enlightened to do what they'd trained to undertake, "We maybe silent, but we're not blind." I turned away to stare back out over an entire city again, I couldn't bare to showcase anymore clear signs of shock alone. My gaze lowered when I felt a humane sensation known as anxiety rear itself, I felt blood rushing quickly as adrenaline surged to realize everything with stark clarity. There wasn't anymore time to waste, I'd have to act for once without understanding every possibility because this was it meant to rule._

_I started trembling to laugh gently finding everything ideally too surreal yet I spoke sternly, "Then do what you must to secure our destiny, lieutenant Markos." I partially turned to grin approvingly to make her struggle to have eye contact, "I'll be right there next to your regiment." She blinked owlishly not expecting I'd be leading where a sovereign needed to be on any battlefield, I'd be right at the front leading by example and I warned her, "Don't you dare disappoint me, Calliope! Or you're going to find out, that even I hate to be wrong about a future."_

_The woman straightened to smile beautifully pleased knowing she'd succeeded in seeking out my authorization. I looked back over an entire city savoring it's beauty, it's purpose and knowing I'd do all in my power to protect what little good remained on this earth. Nothing could take that away from me, no one of flesh or blood, I'd never leave it until I was buried after achieving ambitions far too grand to go to waste. If anything it'd be on future generations to conduct themselves worthy of meeting destiny head on, to never falter to defy fate and ultimately secured their future to forever remain above those who'd seek our demise. My duty as ruler of a kingdom, my undeniable purpose as I was both ruler, monster and man, all together molded into having meaningful dreams which never could be claimed from my very hands._

"_We won't fail to repeat nightmares as we've never forgotten, Prince Singh." I heard her state coldly happy to do what many had long awaited in their time underneath my reign, "Alexandrian." I called out when she'd began leaving to prepare an entire night worthy of remembrance. Ironically I didn't need to turn back to view confusion openly as she hesitantly questioned, "I beg your pardon, my prince? Who?"_

_My smile refused to die down in favor to savor what appear tonight, "Alexandrian Singh is my name to you, lieutenant. Remember it well, because I only reward it to those who are my enemies and possibly, friends who are worthy to never forget it." Her utter silence alone made up for humor as I waved my hand indicating to vacate the quarters to indicate approval. If anything I'd find out tonight, or by the next sunrise whether those who had the strength to support power could be trusted, I needed people to trust when times arose when I'd have to be called into war. Khan granted me an extension of trust to mold me into what I was, so I'd never fail him and nothing on Earth would be able to stop me if he'd order me to do what I best._

* * *

I snapped back to reality when Carol scream piercing memories alone, "Roderick, above you!" Ear shattering shrieking with an enraged yowling forced me to look up stunned to see a predatory beast. An animal long since thought near extinct, I watched with adrenaline pumping to see fangs exposed dripping in saliva and without hesitation, I viewed it literally leaping off an outcropping of rocks! And it came barreling down hell intent on acquiring assumed easy prey.

_It's a god damned mountain lion! _I smirked savagely feeling an old feeling I hadn't experienced in centuries, a worthy test and undeniable challenge few men dared to imagine. Snarling loudly I rolled away swinging the bag off one shoulder to literally cushioned it in between powerful jaws, I yanked back managing to hold steady on loose gravel when the predatory shrieked angrily realizing it'd hadn't scored an easy killer to satisfy nature's urges. Carol cried out helplessly shocked when I barked out in a rare show of caution, "Stay behind me on higher ground, now!"

Baring teeth the massive feline struggled to bypass material meant for rugged terrain and exposure to elements yet I felt it's incredible strength. _Damn, it's an adult! Too big, too experienced and it knows it's got everything in it's favor against humanoid prey! _Viciously realizing all of this when I struggled maintaining even a coherent motion of it trying to shred leather. Unable to hold it back I quickly searched for a weapon to somewhat survive, if anything I had reason to enjoy this entire journey into nature's beautiful food chain. I'd never been above it, so I found it ideally familiar and I needed distractions from old memories.

The feline predator roared frustrated to relinquish less than worthy material to angle itself hissing hungrily. Those eyes tracked my own in honed superiority for it to not realize instinctual warnings, I wasn't helpless prey. I refused to even move an inch, or angle myself to allow it room to go after something smaller behind and I knew by staring it down, an animal understood it found something capable to harm it! A tail flickered animatedly in tense preparation with two brownish ears peeling back to expose massive fangs, I knew signs of it gauging weakness and I matched it by lowly growling slowly awaiting it.

_Who strikes first, I wonder? _I thought eyeing it's movement when it paced slowly trying to decipher if I'd react. I only shifted several steps keeping an even distance, if it dared to lunge past after my target who was watching in stunned terrorized fashion. _Least you have sense to obey someone, perhaps God has his ways after all to impress me. _I sourly imagined by reaching downward to feel for an object I'd been incredibly grateful to withhold. Now things would be slightly in favor for this animal, if I hadn't I'd been hard pressed to break it's neck by hand alone in front of Carol's sight and that wasn't acceptable for my objective.

But I heard a rock roll loosely just past my peripheral which another predator spotted, "Carol! Do not even _try_ to move quickly, or away from me." My voice hardly wavered when adjusting a makeshift shield with an almost shredded back pack. A knife's plain handle kept my palm secured when it came out of a sheath on the right waist line hostler. It wouldn't be capable to pierce the feline's skull, or jawline without snapping yet there was an opportunity beneath in smoother flesh along a massive neck to bleed it out. Surreptitiously easing this makeshift weaponry behind straps to have an edge pointed outward, I exhaled deeply since all too knowingly I'd have to angle just enough and not without overreaching it.

Amber eyes narrowed instinctual when finding another predator, I crouched ready for an inevitable sign of a powerful pounce. It lowered it's own head baring fangs to yowl loudly spreading legs, "Come on." I whispered dangerously grinning recognizing signs of muscle groups tensing, I growled lowly in the back of my throat rumbling another challenge, "Try it!" The lion lunged forward utilizing an obvious favor of brute strength to send me stumbling back! Yet ever prepared I rapidly lunged a bag forward, I grunted when both sets of jaws clamped down only have their owner release a guttural gag, amber eyes angrily narrowed all due to realizing it hadn't pierced soft flesh.

Bracing I threw myself backward to hold it partially on hind legs when I yelled briefly keeping it down just barely. _You picked the wrong monster to jump today, cat! _My arms were going number due to the sheer pressures being exerted to sluggishly throw off a larger animal. Pieces of thickened leather fell in nimble pieces which rapidly would cease to protect, or delay an inevitable moment when those claws would find their prey's bloodied interior. And I sprinted after it surprising a predator as it viciously tried to swipe at my body.

But the bag's contents took the brunt all too easily when I slammed into it against a gravel slope and dirt flung violently. The knife struck three times to barely send it shrieking back in alarm, I backed up keeping peripherals on Carol who looked utterly petrified. I frowned angrily to bark out again, "Get up that slope! Now!" I couldn't afford losing focus when the larger animal shook off superficial wounds at best, if anything it'd grown angrier realizing it'd have to fight for a meal. _This knife is utterly pathetic, it's really not meant to cut or pierce flesh, but merely cut off loose strips! God damn it all, I can't even hit anything vital without going for the throat's softer spots underneath it!_

My target didn't move an inch when I cried out as a lion practically sprinted headlong into me! I just managed to fall back bracing legs and arms to lock into a brutally vicious tug of war. It's fangs practically shredded leather far more easily increasing my alarm, I snapped a knee upward to cleanly clock it in a jawline sending it yowling back naturally shocked. Bitterly I knew easily it'd hadn't been clean, or secured enough to fracture bone despite shaking its damned head, God alone knew if anything I just made it angrier again. Time was an enemy rapidly coming to collect a toll when I snarled lividly in sheer rage.

The lion slowly advanced baring fangs forcing me to slightly step back warily eyeing a trails edge. It lead down far down into a ravine, or I'd have to use an entire gravel like slope where it'd been awaiting for prey. Neither optioned kept distance, or remotely provided ample protection when a damned bag started to fray on straps loosening contents within. _No retreat, no escape and no way out. Well, I guess if you can't defend then attacking is the only way to win._

I stopped suddenly to lean backward knife angled as I mustered every breath to brace myself physically. Any closer it'd gleam temptation to strike someone far more easier, far weaker and ideally prey for predators to claim for a prize. Neither myself, or this creature refused to move an inch when ground no longer could be gained, or relinquished. It was down to who made a decision whether through rational observation, or pure instinct alone. I bared teeth leering a taunting command, "Let's see whose stronger! Now, shall we begin?"

My legs sprang like lightning as a lion matched all too powerfully to have us both lock together. I yelled viciously sending it struggling to the side where a ravine lay below, I struggled mightily pushing muscle and will to limits not done in centuries! The beast viciously started clawing sensing danger due to a drop, I kept myself angled to occupy jaws while painstakingly moving inch by inch and growling lividly due to sheer weight being forced upwards. Sweat burned my own eyes when I felt myself growing weaker not as quickly as any inferior, but I knew this predator felt it as weight buckled down all too naturally.

Desperately I jabbed a knife's edge into exposed areas of a neck, or face making the large cat shriek. I kept it up wildly striking in a crescendo yet it refused to die, I heard stones rolling down and I looked off to the side. Carol had slipped literally trying to back up near a gravel slope and I realized in silent horror I'd made a terrible miscalculated act! An overt powerful claw slashed right underneath my side making me scream out agonizingly!_ Oh shit, I knew it!_ I fell back loosely with the lion viciously biting down and clawing at anything!

Fangs started punching through to angrily slice into a forearm even when I stabbed several more times near it's jawline. Exhaling breath forced heat in a putrid odor reflexively making me to wince lividly, "Will you fucking die?" I strained cutting into it several dozen times until an animal leaped off shaking itself violently down in trying to ignore crimson patches leaking down prominently, I struggled to get onto knees inhaling heavily with sweat burning both eyelids respectively. I still refused to give up ground in favor to lift an almost shredded bag mundanely.

_Damn it, I can't feel my right arm now! _Glancing down I saw prominent gashes oozing crimson when my own limb strained to even hold up a light weight. The lion prowled forward growling menacingly low and determined, god damn I saw those eyes happily realize it'd gotten a taste of what it sought and I knew it wanted more. An animal hated whenever prey fought back, if anything it was more determined than ever to kill me out of sheer resolve alone. Predators often in nature refused attacking anything to harm it, but if it found itself prolonged it'd go until death claimed either combatant to prove superiority.

Quickly scanning for any sort of loose gravel, or fist sized granite proved to be ideally useful. If it desired brute force, I'd oblige it all too happily! _Can't risk it biting into me, or I'll lose way too much blood to stay conscious! But I can't overpower it through sheer will alone, God damn I can barely keep it at bay. _If I had knives specifically designed meant to slice into flesh, I'd dare say this creature would have determined it'd be too much effort. Yet with an almost bending piece of metal it'd thought otherwise to fight myself to death, or I succumbed to wounds it'd inflict to feast contently.

The lion struck far faster than I imagined to yelp out angrily as I flew back slamming into the slope's hard exterior! I struggled to keep its entire body from angling inward, if I failed those jaws would clap down on an exposed collarbone. I gnashed both teeth tightly seething when arms strained to loosely tremble when I slipped downward inch by inch, I kicked up gravel trying desperately to prolong an inevitable clash of strength and wills. Nature created a predator capable to out power and outlast anything in sheer endurance, I wasn't an inferior yet even we couldn't overcome natural limits when pushed to a brink.

A blood curling yowl forced me to snarl back hissing words, "You...will not win!" I allowed my back to crush against crude naturally formed jagged rocks to free up a hand wielding the knife. Angling it just beneath were fangs punctured leather to start diffing into my forearm, I leered wildly to scream savagely sending a blade upwards. The animal cried out painstakingly realizing when being stabbed right beneath exposed soft flesh as it flung itself off forcing me to slid down exhaustively. Bright crimson stained on rock, dirt and anything else from our duel which signified I'd scored an impressive strike to have it reconsider instinctual urges.

Yet I found myself seeing that foolish hope squashed quickly. Shaking itself rapidly those amber eyes narrowed instinctively realizing from tens of thousands of years of ancestry to spot weakened prey, it never it was closer to victory than I'd dared too. _The knife's bent too much, I can't do anything with it except angering it further. _True to my scowling I prominently angled a blade so it almost seemed level yet backwardly pointed upwards. The sheer weight almost snapped a meager quality of metal during our contents of surviving one another.

Rapidly searching for another replacement I came to find a solid granite as fingers tightly latched on favoring rigid edges. I slowly got up throwing aside a tattered bag once contents freely fell out, I had no shield or defense yet against those damnable claws now. _If I can strike it just on the side of it's eyes, I can maybe concuss it enough to have it stumble away! Damn it all, I can't risk getting slashed up anymore, or I'll be food._

Snorting nearly deliberate in being disgusted by being caught blinded sided I hissed lowly, "Let's find out whose got the guts to end it." I struggled to stand up smiling savagely determined to not at least die, or end up disgraced since awakening from slumber by my father. If I'd met my mind at a predator's hands, Khan would approvingly feel somewhat comforted knowing a killer took out another and it was utterly natural given these circumstances. But I'd at least go down contently a lion's feral ferocity met another monster's inhumane wrath!

The beast circled snarling low to crimson stained earth as my own life liquid melded below. They met as I angled myself rock, knife and will in hand to keep all attention on what it sought to feast upon. _That's right, focus on me and not something far more easier to devour. You're not the only one seeking to savor a meal, I will not relinquish what is fated to be my decision to end it. _Raising an awkwardly bent knife I favored my lesser damaged arm to keep it prepared, if anything I'd be able to smash a cranium hard enough to forcibly slice downwards into exposed reddish tissue. The animal bleed nearly freely yet still held true to nature's instincts alone.

Gravel slipped when it roared shrieking as I snarled loudly meeting it by rolling aside. Veering around I cracked granite into bone with an audible contact! _Gotcha! _It bellowed a shrieking yowl yet I yelped when it smashed forward hell intent on sinking teeth into anything. Reflexively I used an already damaged arm but I braced to yell mutely once jaws clamped down akin to a vice. I viciously started hamming elbow, or fist onto its exposed neck behind ears, I found out it wouldn't relinquish flesh once it's sheer momentum forced down again. I refused to die, to wildly swing and jab a twisted metallic piece to have it continuously shriek yet those jaws hadn't dared to cease crushing flesh.

I roared for once utterly bewildered since any animal should have succumbed to trauma alone, "Die god damn it!" Rage, or pain blinded reason for us both as neither ceased their assault. My vision flickered when I lost momentum as claws dug into an opposite shoulder, I realized horridly it'd bleed me faster than I'd do to it! _I will not die here, I will not die here! _I chanted internally bellowing akin to a madmen yet it knew I was weakening, a primal honing of instinct and experience when superior weight alone crushed me, I'd gotten so far underneath it's bulk and muscle alone in dampening blows due to gravity's presence.

It dragged me through sheer will alone to viciously scrap me along rock, dirt and contents of a bag. I bared teeth to toss aside a mangled metallic object in favor of fingers tearing into exposed patches. My strength far beyond any inferior naturally clamped down, I squeezed and dug in pulling away stripes of fur and inner tissue. Hot warmth splashed downwards drenching myself in liquid, I refused to care when it pinned an arm hell intent on tearing it asunder to return the favor ten fold, I'd make this damned creature wish it'd have died minutes ago. Yet through unholy circumstance this damned lion hadn't lessened it's grip once it began cracking bones, a tension utterly built up dangerously.

Movement above made me look back straining when a shadow of an object lunged forward. I watched utterly perplexed, or disbelieving surreal senses once I witnessed Carol Marcus stabbing some sort of branch into a predator's eye without warning. The large animal shrieked in absolute agony stumbling struggling in vain to futilely dislodged it. But in it's desperation to alleviate an inevitable end, I saw opportunity literally glinting near pools of crimson. Anger in nearly succumbing to a beast, rage in being saved and humiliated to be thwarted to test myself boiled over when I saw literal red.

_You dared to disobey me, girl? _I howled internally by snatching up fishing line to loosen it up, I stalked over stumbling viciously kick a lion over. The yowling shrieks were far more subdued once I wrapped it around an overt bloodied neck, I tightened it when placing a numbed boot onto ribs and pressed down enraged. The predator cried out weakly once I yanked it's damned noose in place, I quickly turned and began stomping towards my target who looked utterly terrified. I smiled widely pleased to hoarsely whisper clearly, "Do not ever disobey me, if I tell you to _run_, or _hide..._you will do what I say at all times, Carol."

Summoning enough will I yelled out allowing a sound to echo when I choked out an entire lion into a death thralling fit. I never once broke eye contact to glare disdainfully to see a pair of blue eyes widening in sheer confusion. Thin wiring cut in deeply, I felt struggles through grow weaker and weaker until a gurgling rasp sounded off an end to a duel of nature's nightmares. Despite bleeding profusely I exhaled deeply savoring a semi-spoiled victory, an almost centuries old test to tackle on beasts even inferior's feared as I'd been. But it'd been ruined because an inferior believed I wouldn't be able to overcome another test by nature's worst.

After several excruciating minutes I felt an entire line slacken as I looked over my shoulder glaring to see the corpse. Breathing quickly and shallowly I relinquished my grip to stumble over practically slamming face first trying to regain conscious thought processes. I failed completely when my target rushed over stammering atomically frozen, "Roderick...god, you just...killed a mountain lion!" I scowled weakly to retort rather exhaustively cynical, "Not by my efforts alone, girl. So glad you have ears to listen!"

Coughing lightly I spat out a mix of dirt, blood and saliva in favor to allow regeneration to slowly take root. As long as I stitched a few slashes together, rested and inevitably replaced fluids I'd recover within days to have them fade into minuscule scars, hopefully. _But still I achieved pasted limits needed to be broken, if anything centuries being asleep have dulled my mind considerably. What a disgrace to be caught off guard from a predator, to be assisted by another inferior and at worst it's my damned target of all things!_

Panting heavily I weakly tried shoving a semi useless inferior off yet I failed to only have her hand clasp into mine unintentional. Carol unfathomably kicked started a makeshift triage, "God! Your arm!" Her eyes darted daringly clear to fishing line which glinted mostly unstained by crimson droplets, "Keep it above your knees, or god help me Roderick, I'll make sure your asshole junkie day attitude is done!" I obliged mainly out of common sense for medical practices as I hissed, "Your observation skills never seem to amaze me, girl!"

Surprisingly I found myself eased down to have her bite off line sparingly preparing for field sewing. To her credit, if I dared to humor worked relatively quick and efficiently to clean out most bites, or slashed areas. I endured mainly out of sheer practice to not be familiar with intense pain, I'd been subjected to worse both mentally and spiritually when I was a child centuries ago. _What an irritating situation I find myself in again, I'm being tended as though I'm but glass! Unbelievable since it's being done by an inferior who just happens to have those same damned eyes, irony and fate love my misery all too commonly it seems._

During an interlude of silence I favored my target bit out tensely, "Why in god's name didn't you run as well? Do you have a damned death wish?" I snorted faintly bemused to only retort rather knowingly, "No more than you happen to show off, Carol." The inferior managed to hotly point out with bloodied fingers dripping with my own bodily liquids, "Look at yourself, god man for fucks sake! You're torn up all the way to hell for wanting to take on a fucked up mountain lion, you're literally half dead and you somehow in that god knows what of a brain to think to yourself it's a good time to be an asshole, Roderick?"

I only smirked coldly albeit weakly to point out oddly amusing, "You're the scientist, so you tell me!" Her expression bordered on apocalyptic, or possibly genuinely concerned to lightly gauge my lowered body temperature, "You're fucking insane!" Her fingers adequately finished slipping in several more loops to forcefully meld together broken skin. I bared through it entirely without flinching, or hissing to merely grimace whenever she went downward to work on ribs. Perhaps I shouldn't have been distracted since it considerably pained me as time dragged onward.

"We're setting up camp anywhere remotely flat, getting fire up and calling a rescue for you." Carol stated without hesitation to make me chortle, "And here I thought you wanted to venture into a place few dared to go." Her gaze uncharacteristically sternly concerned to somehow discover courage to forcibly have me face a pair of emotional eyes, "This isn't funny, asshole! You _almost _died, I mean I see half your guts hanging out for fucks sake!" The makeshift point of a hook slipped past flesh underneath an overhanging arm to accent that exaggeration. My eye raised impeccably amused despite grimacing slightly when it'd done too deep during her ranting.

Not ever one to slip by opportunity I quietly observed, "And if we'd ran it'd have caught up to kill us with our backs turned. It wasn't a young lion given the size, Carol so either we died fighting or died like prey which it'd never have stopped. Aren't you a scientist too? To look at things objectively without having emotion cloud your theories?" That stroke of ideal confusion seeming went over her head to look myself indecipherable. It really was too easy, a bit of blood and humor never ceased to keep any inferior at bay to never think twice.

Carol closed both eyes trying futilely to avoid snapping outwardly which failed specifically to my design flawlessly. Her voice bit out less than civilly humoring everything I'd said, "You are just a fucking, dumb and god damned insane asshole." I looked over hardly impressed given a lack luster anger that just seemed pitiful, "Would you rather be prey attacked and consumed, or an insecure girl screaming for help, if I hadn't acted as I'd done so?" That rhetoric sealed any resistance for her eyes to narrow spitefully as I daringly wanted to hear a counter argument, it'd prove futile to justify if I hadn't challenged myself it'd have gotten her dead quicker without purpose.

_You willingly interfered between what I challenged, I'd expect sympathy if I deemed to demand assistance and I hadn't! So you can suffer mentally, Carol for all I care to humor! _She looked away growling frustrated trying to ward off instinctual urges to either smack, or insult me verbally. It took tensed minutes to sew up what little wounds needed to be addressed, I experimentally made fists to open and close to subtly increase feeling for blood to flow semi-naturally again. Overall her lack of experience wasn't entire inefficient, or wasteful as I willed myself to stand lightly favoring one side until regeneration quickly started repairing damaged tissues.

"You should _not _be moving, or even thinking we're going to continue hiking." My target bit out lividly as I cautiously rolled both shoulders, "It was _your _suggestion to reach a place few ever ventured, Carol. Danger and risk go hand in hand, if you're smart enough when nature cares not for humane reasoning or desire." Predatory dangers were frequently undeniable yet I wasn't in any condition for critical medical aid, or needed surgical expertise. If anything I'd just gotten a handicap to prove will superseded mundane pains of physical trauma, or mental doubts in nature to which suited myself all too readily, grimacing slightly once I stretched briefly.

Carol Marcus looked as if someone had seen a literal monster, "God help me..you're unbelievable!" I smirked refusing to humor he'd helped enough in her life, "I'm reporting a medical transport to park rangers, if you even stumble or if I see you start to pass out, Roderick Harrison." I hardly seemed fazed when slowly beginning to recover, or salvage anything remotely of use to pile together. The once thickened bag lay shredded which my target tried stiffly to assist, I only started unzipping pouches and started filled face to full capacity. If anything else I'd wager, I started to enjoy hiking together because now I had challenge and limitations to maximize every action we'd undertake, a small victory and unexpectedly welcomed in hindsight.

_Now we're surviving, a fun and trying task to endure when luxuries are placed aside! _I smiled widely when Carol looked over a shoulder scowling, "Shut it, asshole!" Her face looked beyond incensed to bite out words, "You're either insane, or beyond idiotic to think I'm going to enjoy every minute watching your ass." Now I couldn't resist chortling strangely amused in looking forward to have her waste mental functions on a mundane encounter, it'd certainly not been unexpected yet she'd never considered dangers of predatory natures.

Several minutes passed when everything salvageable rested tightly within her pack did I speak rather bemused, "Well I for one shall look at this encounter for a consolation prize, Carol." I moved past drinking water soothingly pleased to continue up a trail bypassing the corpse bleeding out fully. My lips genuinely smiled as I looked over a shoulder, "Maybe you'll realize just how much a man can become a monster if he wills it so. Try to keep up, I don't intend to carry you down a mountain because you can't stomach what makes me feel undeniably alive."

**End Chapter IV**

**Author's Note: **So yeah, he did what you all read and I can guarantee half of it is possibly feasible. You can read up accounts of hikers defending, or outright killing mountain lions with bare hands. Mind you, to take into account of fictional science fiction where this guy is stronger than most humans naturally. I'm not saying it's impossible, but luck and instinct go hand in hand when you reach that point. It's not a pretty mindset, but I'd say it's far more natural for people to revert into then most ever realize.

Beyond that I hope you're seeing parallels in this story, this guy is not all there as you've clearly seen. He's not sane, I mean who the hell actually fights something that's larger and stronger, but really it boils down to a simple natural act. Fight, or flight. Man vs nature, man vs himself and I can assure you I choose to fight when there's no way to escape. I doubt any of us, Roderick included can outrun a big cat which scares the hell out of me personally. Bears, wolves or even snakes I wouldn't panic but large predator cats? I'd be close to pissing myself, they're not pretty and they're not cute when you take in account they are viciously brutal in nature, or have as common pets if you look carefully.

Regarding his past, it's not uncommon for those to rule, or have power understand things few don't want to consider. Peace in itself is a respite, it's not guaranteed whether by the ones who fought for it, or lose to those victoriously. Times change, people change faster and peace itself is but the lie we desperately hold onto because it's what those lie to themselves, believe as absolute. Personally, if peace ends then don't try to force because it often ignites war. In history we've seen that, in this story and universe, war is not that hard to imagine since it's flirted with constantly in Star Trek, a lot. So much so, I think we see more internal strike among various episodes and movies because of peace's mandated goal in my opinion.

Nonetheless, that's all I got for today. Please leave a review, I'd appreciate it to see if I'm doing things better, or worse. Have a nice day, be safe and I'll look forward to my next update eventually.


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